عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike

Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike
TT
TT

Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike

Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike

Many details of Israel’s attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar will become clearer once the full results emerge.

But even as Israeli officials began acknowledging disappointment that Hamas’ leadership survived, they stressed the operation was meant to yield “deterrence gains” and pointed to what they call the “Munich approach,” a doctrine dating back to 1972 when Israel hunted down members of the Palestinian Black September group behind the killing of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.

Today, more than half a century later and after over 63,000 deaths in Gaza, Israel says it is striking back for the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault.

‘Munich in our era’

Israeli leaders hailed the Doha raid as a precision mission before its outcome became clear, comparing it to the killings of Hezbollah commanders and Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers. They spoke of “surgical strikes” involving 15 fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and precision-guided munitions.

But after Hamas declared its leaders had survived, Israeli officials shifted to urging patience while DNA tests confirmed casualties, before admitting privately to frustration. Military commentators framed the setback as a tactical hiccup while still claiming strategic benefits: Hamas leaders, they argued, would now feel hunted and restricted.

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar reportedly described the operation as “Munich in our era,” echoing Golda Meir’s 1972 order to eliminate those behind the Olympic attack. Netanyahu, for his part, said Israel had targeted Hamas leaders “in the same place they celebrated October 7” - a statement contradicted by evidence that the group’s thanksgiving prayers took place in Türkiye, not Qatar.

A pre-approved hit list

According to Israeli media, the decision to assassinate Hamas’ top echelon was taken on Oct. 8, 2023. The Shin Bet was tasked with the campaign, which began with the killing of Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, followed by Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya al-Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Mohammed al-Sinwar.

Last week, army chief Eyal Zamir warned Hamas leaders abroad they would not be safe. Shortly after, Netanyahu ordered the Doha strike once intelligence indicated Hamas figures were meeting in the Qatari capital. Some senior officials, including the army’s representative to hostage talks, opposed the timing, fearing it would derail negotiations over Israeli captives. Netanyahu overruled them.

Multiple objectives

Analysts say the Qatar operation was designed to achieve several goals: reinforcing Israel’s image as the dominant military power in the Middle East, showcasing its reach against adversaries from Hezbollah to the Houthis

US angle and blame game

Netanyahu initially claimed the Doha strike was an exclusively Israeli operation, a line Israeli officials said was pressed by Washington to limit American exposure. US officials, according to Israeli leaks, were briefed but later distanced themselves once Arab outrage spread.

Seeking to deflect responsibility for the mission’s failure, Netanyahu’s allies suggested US President Donald Trump tipped off Qatar about the raid, allowing Hamas leaders to flee moments before the bombs hit.

Political fallout

Israeli sources now fear Trump could use the episode to recalibrate his Arab diplomacy, potentially demanding concessions from Netanyahu to reassure allies like Qatar that Washington does not condone strikes on their soil. Such a shift could revive pressure for a ceasefire and political talks.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Iraq to Probe Drone Attack on Kurdistan PM’s Office

Smoke billows after strikes near Erbil airport on July 24, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke billows after strikes near Erbil airport on July 24, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

Iraq to Probe Drone Attack on Kurdistan PM’s Office

Smoke billows after strikes near Erbil airport on July 24, 2026. (AFP)
Smoke billows after strikes near Erbil airport on July 24, 2026. (AFP)

Iraq said on Monday it would launch an investigation into an overnight drone attack on the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister's office, as Iran portrayed the incident as a ploy to undermine bilateral relations.

Kurdistan's authorities had earlier blamed the attack -- which also targeted the home of the autonomous region's intelligence chief -- on Tehran, saying the two drones had been launched from Iranian territory.

Since the start of the Middle East war, the Kurdistan region, which hosts US troops and foreign oil firms as well as rebels exiled from Iran, has been targeted with more than 1,000 attacks by Tehran and pro-Iran armed groups inside Iraq.

Drones have repeatedly been intercepted over Kurdistan's capital Erbil, while others have struck the rebels and US interests.

The office of Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said he had "directed the formation of an investigative committee tasked with identifying the sources and launching points of the attack that targeted the office of" Kurdistan's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the attack, "describing it as a highly suspicious development that requires vigilance and careful attention", according to a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.

Iran's foreign ministry said its top diplomat Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with his Iraqi counterpart on Monday.

"Nothing justifies the reckless attack on PM Barzani's office. Kurdish friends should be vigilant against false-flag ploys to sow discord between neighbors," Araghchi said on X.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Iraq, Tom Barrack, said "we strongly condemn the attack on our friend and valued Kurdish partner" Barzani, adding that the aggression was "unacceptable and a direct threat to regional stability".

Separately, an explosion at a petroleum products depot in eastern Iraqi Kurdistan injured 18 people, Kurdish media outlet Rudaw reported, without specifying the cause of the blast.

Hirsh Salim, deputy director general of health in Sulaimaniyah governorate, told the outlet that there were no fatalities.

Under pressure from the United States, Iraq has given pro-Iran armed groups in the country until September 30 to disarm, coinciding with the end of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition's mission.

Iraq is home to several powerful Iran-backed armed factions, which have seen their political and financial clout increase over the years.

Many emerged in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and gained further power and prominence during the fight against the ISIS group from 2014 onwards.

They have long called for the withdrawal of American troops deployed within the coalition, and they have frequently hit bases hosting US troops.

While some armed groups announced they will cooperate to hand over weapons to the state, others remain adamant that the issue should not be discussed under US pressure.

- 'Dangerous escalation' -

Kurdish authorities said earlier on Monday that two Iranian drones had targeted Barzani's office and the home of the autonomous region's intelligence chief.

"Following an investigation by the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Unit, my personal office and the home of the head of the Security and Intelligence Agency were targeted by Iranian drone attacks earlier today," Barzani said in a post on X.

"This is a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to the security and stability of the Kurdistan region."

The regional Counter-Terrorism Directorate said there were no casualties in the attack.

"Two Hadid-110 type explosive-laden drones were launched from across the Iranian border toward the private office of the Kurdistan region prime minister and the residence of the Parastin Agency director," it said.

Tehran accuses the exiled Kurdish opposition groups of serving Western and Israeli interests, and continued to launch strikes against them even during a regional ceasefire announced in April, which eventually broke down.

The groups have mostly evacuated their bases and camps in Kurdistan since the war began.

Arab World

Houthis Fire 5 Ballistic Missiles at Bab el-Mandeb

Damage in the aftermath of Houthi strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mokha, Yemen, August 10, 2026 in this screengrab taken from a handout video. (Reuters/Handout)
Damage in the aftermath of Houthi strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mokha, Yemen, August 10, 2026 in this screengrab taken from a handout video. (Reuters/Handout)
TT
TT

Houthis Fire 5 Ballistic Missiles at Bab el-Mandeb

Damage in the aftermath of Houthi strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mokha, Yemen, August 10, 2026 in this screengrab taken from a handout video. (Reuters/Handout)
Damage in the aftermath of Houthi strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mokha, Yemen, August 10, 2026 in this screengrab taken from a handout video. (Reuters/Handout)

The Iran-backed Houthi group fired on Monday five ballistic missiles at the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea, days after their attacks on Yemen’s Mokha all but left it destroyed, taking it out of service.

Legitimate government media said that the Houthis fired two ballistic missiles near the al-Hamza camp in the Ibb provinces and three east of Taiz city.

The Houthis also continued their attacks on Mokha city, in the Taiz province, using rockets and drones.

The government forces continued to counter the Houthi attacks on several fronts.

In Mokha, dozens of sailors staged a protest against the Houthi attacks, calling on the international community to intervene urgently to stop them.

They urged the need to provide effective protection to marine waterways and to workers in the marine sector.

Mokha Port head Abdul Malik Al-Sharabi said the Houthi attacks in recent days left four security forces and three port staff dead.

The militants fired over 25 missiles at the facility, leaving extensive damage throughout, including vessels, the pier, and vital infrastructure, he revealed.

Sailors stage a protest against Houthi attacks on Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea. (AP)

He warned of the humanitarian and economic repercussions of the halt in navigation at the port, saying that some 1,300 workers have lost their sources of income.

Meanwhile, in Taiz, government forces repelled Houthi advances north of the city.

A statement from the armed forces, said the troops clashed with the Houthis, leaving casualties in their ranks.

Houth artillery strikes on northwestern Taiz left material damage, said military sources. No casualties were reported. The national resistance retaliated to the attacks.

The Yemeni Network for Victims Associations documented the killing and injury of 18 civilians in Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks on Taiz, Marib, Hodeidah and Dhale between August 4 and 15.

During a press conference, the association said the attacks targeted homes, displacement camps and civilian infrastructure.

It called on the United Nations, its Security Council and the international community to take measures to protect civilians and hold the perpetrators accountable.

It also called for an independent international probe into the violations related to the use of ballistic missiles and drones.

Arab World

Palestinian-American Returns to West Bank to Defend His Home Under Siege by Israeli Settlers

Palestinian-American Louis Ridi, who seeks access to his home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that has been encircled by militant settlers for more than a week, embraces his mother at her home, in Qusra village, Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 17, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinian-American Louis Ridi, who seeks access to his home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that has been encircled by militant settlers for more than a week, embraces his mother at her home, in Qusra village, Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 17, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Palestinian-American Returns to West Bank to Defend His Home Under Siege by Israeli Settlers

Palestinian-American Louis Ridi, who seeks access to his home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that has been encircled by militant settlers for more than a week, embraces his mother at her home, in Qusra village, Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 17, 2026. (Reuters)
Palestinian-American Louis Ridi, who seeks access to his home in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that has been encircled by militant settlers for more than a week, embraces his mother at her home, in Qusra village, Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 17, 2026. (Reuters)

The Palestinian-American whose home in the occupied West Bank has been besieged by Israeli settlers for over a week arrived in the region Monday and said he planned to join other family members in defending the property.

The standoff, in the village of Qusra, has seen groups of settlers surround several Palestinian houses and prevent residents from leaving.

The United States has condemned the siege and the Israeli military has deployed troops it says are there to maintain order.

The siege of Palestinian homes by Israeli settlers comes as violence in the West Bank has soared in recent months. The settlers, emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, have ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and villages, harassing residents and setting homes, mosques and fields ablaze.

As Loui Ridi, an Ohio-based owner of one of the houses, landed in Israel, settlers were still roaming near Qusra, according to video footage taken by his brother.

Qusai Abu Rida and his teenage son have stayed inside the home to protect it from the settlers.

“I’m terrified for my brother and his son and their safety," Ridi told reporters at Israel's main international airport. “And now I'm going to have to fear for my own safety.”

He said he would try to reach Qusra, which is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of Nablus, but was unsure if he would be able to enter. The Israeli army declared the part of Qusra where Ridi's home is located a closed military zone last week.

According to Palestinian health officials, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed 87 Palestinians so far this year. Palestinians have killed three Israelis, including two who were killed in the West Bank village of Tell last month.