A Cover-Up Scandal
The Qatar Cover-Up: Was the White House Lying About Israel's Attack?
New report reveals conflicting accounts between Israeli officials and White House statements regarding advance notice of Israel's missile strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar.
A new report from the online news outlet Axios, citing multiple Israeli officials, suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave U.S. President Donald Trump advance notice of last week's missile strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar. This report directly contradicts public statements from the White House, which claimed it was only notified as the missiles were already in the air.
The discrepancy has ignited a diplomatic firestorm, raising questions about the level of coordination between the two key allies and the White House's attempts to distance itself from the controversial attack.
Conflicting Accounts
According to the Axios report, which cites seven Israeli officials with direct knowledge of the events, Netanyahu contacted Trump approximately 50 minutes before the first explosions were recorded in Doha.
"Trump knew about the strike before the missiles were launched," one senior Israeli official stated. "First, there was a discussion on the political level between Netanyahu and Trump, followed by one through military channels. Trump didn't say no."
The officials insisted that the call provided enough of a window for the U.S. to react and potentially halt the operation, should it have chosen to do so. Another official affirmed that Trump was notified "well in advance," and "if he wanted to stop it, he could have."
This timeline stands in stark contrast to the White House's official narrative, which maintains that notification was received too late to take any action. When asked by reporters after the attack, President Trump publicly denied having prior knowledge of the strikes, stating, "no," and adding, "Israel won't be hitting Qatar."
The Diplomatic Fallout
The strike, which targeted a Hamas compound in the Qatari capital, has drawn widespread condemnation and put Washington in a difficult position. The United States maintains strong alliances with both Israel and Qatar, which has served as a critical mediator in regional peace negotiations.
While Netanyahu’s office has since reiterated that the strike was a "wholly independent" Israeli operation, the Axios report suggests a more complex dynamic. Officials told the outlet that the diplomatic considerations following the attack motivated the White House to downplay any prior knowledge.
The report also details a sequence of events where, after the call from Netanyahu, the White House reportedly saw Israeli jets in the air and sought an explanation from Israel. The confirmation did not come until the missiles were already in flight, according to U.S. officials. This chain of communication, or lack thereof, adds another layer of confusion to the timeline of the strike and the level of American involvement.