Israeli Media: Netanyahu Unlikely to Admit Failure of Doha Strike on Hamas Leaders

Tel Aviv/Doha — Israeli media reported Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to acknowledge the failure of Israel’s attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar.

Channel 12 News said the strike in Doha did not achieve its intended results, citing Israeli security sources. Earlier reports from public broadcasters also suggested the operation failed to meet its objectives despite weeks of planning.

Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir vowed that Tel Aviv would continue pursuing Hamas leaders wherever they are, declaring, “Nothing will stop us from dismantling Hamas’ system.”

The Hebrew daily Maariv reported that Israel’s internal security service, Shin Bet, was still awaiting the outcome of the strike, while an Israeli Air Force official claimed that “no one inside the targeted building in Doha could have survived.”

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a stark warning: “Our hand will reach Hamas leaders everywhere. They cannot hide. If Hamas does not accept a ceasefire on our terms, Gaza and its leadership will be destroyed. Every individual involved in the October 7 attacks will pay the price.”

Despite opposition from some security officials, Netanyahu personally approved the strike, according to Israeli media. Israel’s ambassador to Washington later insisted that Tel Aviv would continue targeting Hamas leadership, saying, “If this attack in Doha failed to hit, the next one will.”

The attempted assassination marked an expansion of Israel’s operations into the Gulf region. Washington described the strike as a “unilateral move” that undermines both U.S. and Israeli interests.

The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss the escalation. Qatar condemned the strike as a “grave violation of international law and a direct threat to its citizens.”

Netanyahu defended the attack, linking it to a Hamas shooting in Jerusalem earlier in the week that killed six people, as well as an assault on Israeli troops in Gaza.

Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, has been engaged in stalled mediation efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

The attack drew widespread condemnation across the Arab world. International leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also criticized Israel’s actions.