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Qatar attack fallout: Regional solidarity and US response

Qatar attack fallout: Regional solidarity and US response
By Lyndal Rowlands, Alastair McCready, Stephen Quillen, Nils Adler, Federica Marsi and Farah Najjar
Published On 11 Sep 2025

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11 Sep 2025 - 22:59
 (22:59 GMT)

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Read our analysis of why Trump’s response to Israel’s Qatar attack undermines US credibility here.

Check out our account of the last 30 minutes inside a Gaza City tower before it was bombed by Israel, here.

And you can always follow all our coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza here.

11 Sep 2025 - 22:45
 (22:45 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

Before we close, here’s a recap of the latest updates:

  • The UN Security Council has held a meeting to discuss Israel’s attack on a Hamas delegation in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Qatar’s prime minister addressed the council saying it would continue engaging in diplomatic efforts to “stop the bloodshed” in Gaza.
  • The UNSC issued a statement agreed upon by all 15 members, including the US, which condemned the strikes in Qatar but failed to mention Israel.
  • Israel bombed three homes in the heart of the Shati refugee camp, a densely populated area whose population has tripled in recent months.
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed off on the so-called E1 plan to expand settlements built on land in the occupied West Bank and surrounding East Jerusalem, saying “there will be no Palestinian state”.
  • Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in raids on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem and have imposed a curfew on the city after two Israeli soldiers were wounded.
  • Yemen’s Houthis say they carried out two operations targeting Israeli military positions in the Negev region, including an attack on Ramon airport near the Red Sea city of Eilat.
11 Sep 2025 - 22:30
 (22:30 GMT)

Death toll from Israeli raids on Yemen rises to 46

Yemen’s Houthi-run Health Ministry said the number of casualties in Israel’s attacks on Wednesday has risen to 46 people killed and 165 wounded.

Israel struck the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northern province of al-Jawf, the latest in a series of attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.

The attack followed an August 30 strike on Sanaa that killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government and several ministers, in the first such assault to target senior officials.

11 Sep 2025 - 22:15
 (22:15 GMT)
Analysis

What were the main takeaways from the UNSC meeting on Israel’s attack on Qatar?

By Gabriel Elizondo

Reporting from the UN headquarters

I think if I were to quickly sum up the UNSC meeting tonight, it would be like this:

The world clearly stands behind Qatar. We saw that whether it be Kuwait speaking on behalf of the GCC, whether it be Turkiye speaking on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, whether it was Pakistan speaking, or Denmark or the UK, it was widespread support for Qatar and widespread condemnation of Israel.

Number two: You also saw countries wanting accountability for Israel’s continued crimes.

I think, number three – the big takeaway – was that the United States clearly cannot defend Israel any more when it comes to this particular issue. The US is clearly distancing itself from Israel when it comes to its attack on Qatar.

And we also heard from Qatar’s prime minister, who gave very even-handed remarks. You would not have faulted him if he said Qatar was going to pull out of ceasefire negotiations – he did not do that.

He said Qatar will continue with its path towards peace, but will no longer accept violations of its sovereignty such as this and said it reserves the right to respond within the framework of international law – whether diplomatically, politically or otherwise.

11 Sep 2025 - 22:01
 (22:01 GMT)
Houthi

Egypt says Israel attempting to prolong the war in Gaza

Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations has told the UNSC that “Israel is attempting to prolong the war for extremist political and religious goals aimed at displacing the Palestinian people and liquidating their cause”.

Commenting on Israel’s attack on Doha, Osama Mahmoud Abdel Khalek argued Qatar was punished despite “making tremendous efforts with Egypt to reach an agreement” in Gaza.

“This brutal attack clearly reflects the ideology of Israeli politics, which knows nothing but the language of killing, destruction and aggression,” Abdel Khalek said.

Egypt called on the UNSC to “immediately take a decisive decision to deter Israel and stop the war against the Gaza Strip and the countries in the region”.

11 Sep 2025 - 22:00
 (22:00 GMT)

WATCH: Meet one of the Palestinians refusing Israel’s Gaza City expulsion order

Israel’s latest forced displacement order for Gaza City is one too many for Nahd al-Rafati.

He is refusing to leave, weary of what seems like a never-ending cycle of expulsion.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:45
 (21:45 GMT)

Israeli leaders heap praise on Charlie Kirk as a staunch ally of Israel

By Ali Harb

Reporting from Washington, DC

Mere minutes after news broke out that American right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk was shot, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a social media post expressing his sympathy.

As Kirk was declared dead on Wednesday, Netanyahu and other Israeli officials rushed to eulogise the 31-year-old activist and emphasise his support for Israel.

“A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization,” the Israeli prime minister wrote on X. “I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.”

That push, to portray Kirk as a fallen champion of Israel as much as of the US conservative movement, comes as many influential right-wing commentators have been increasingly critical of Washington’s unconditional support for its Middle East ally.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Kirk an “incredible friend” of Israel.

“Charlie represented the Judeo-Christian values that unite Israel and America,” he said in a social media post. “Above all, he was a fearless warrior for truth and freedom. He was murdered for that.”

Read the full report here.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:30
 (21:30 GMT)

More than 50,000 people left homeless in one week of Israeli bombardment, civil defence says

Gaza’s civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said that within less than a week, Israeli forces have caused “large-scale destruction” across Gaza City’s infrastructure and residential areas after announcing they were “opening the gates of hell” on the city.

According to Basal, Israeli bombardment has destroyed 12 residential towers of more than seven floors, containing about 500 apartments, displacing more than 10,000 people.

He said more than 120 smaller residential buildings were also destroyed, displacing 7,200 people, while partial damage to more than 500 other buildings has deprived nearly 30,000 people of shelter.

Basal added that more than 600 tents housing displaced families were burned or destroyed, leaving at least 6,000 more people homeless. Ten schools and five mosques were also completely destroyed in the strikes.

“In less than one week alone, more than 50,000 people in Gaza – including children, women, and the elderly – have been left homeless amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe,” he said, urging the UN and international community to intervene.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:29
 (21:29 GMT)
Houthi

Jordan calls on UNSC to protect the region from Israel

Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi has called on the UNSC to “act immediately and effectively to curb [Israel’s] arrogance and protect the region from its disastrous actions”.

Safadi said, “Israel does not care about international law and is not deterred by human values”.

Instead, it “considers itself above the law” and “uses brutality to impose a racist ideology”.

He warned that its expansionist goals in the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as in Lebanon and Syria, “threaten the region” and must be prevented.

Speaking of Israel’s attack in Qatar’s capital Doha, Safadi said Israel was “shamelessly betraying a state that has been working with the US to reach an exchange deal and a permanent ceasefire”.

“We condemn this brutal and treacherous attack against Qatar,” he added.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:26
 (21:26 GMT)
Houthi

Israel’s ‘reckless’ actions will undermine peace in the region, UAE says

UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash has been addressing the UNSC.

Gargash said his country has condemned in the strongest terms the “blatant Israeli attack” on Qatar.

“The high-level participation in this session clearly underscores the gravity with which we view this Israeli aggression,” he said.

Gargash said the attack is a “serious assault” on international law and is an “irresponsible escalation that threatens regional stability and international peace and security”.

The UNSC’s failure to act in response to “repeated Israeli violations” will have consequences for lasting peace, he said.

“This unprecedented attack … also seriously undermines prospects for peace and ending the war in Gaza,” Gargash added, adding that Qatar has been playing a key role in securing a ceasefire.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:15
 (21:15 GMT)

Germany says it will back UN resolution for two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict

Germany will support a United Nations resolution for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but does not believe the time has come to recognise a Palestinian state, a government spokesperson has told the Reuters news agency.

“Germany will support such a resolution which simply describes the status quo in international law,” the spokesman said, adding that Berlin “has always advocated a two-state solution and is asking for that all the time”.

“The chancellor just mentioned two days ago again that Germany does not see that the time has come for the recognition of the Palestinian state,” the spokesperson added.

The United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium have all said they will recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly later this month, although London said it could hold back if Israel were to take steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commit to a long-term peace process.

The United States strongly opposes any move by its allies to recognise Palestinian independence.

Others who see recognition as a largely symbolic gesture point to the negligible presence on the ground and limited influence in the conflict of countries such as China, India, Russia and many Arab states that have recognised Palestinian independence for decades.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:14
 (21:14 GMT)
Houthi

Qatar warns UNSC against ‘silence before the law of the jungle’

Sheikh Mohammed has said the UNSC bears a “historic responsibility” and warned the international body that “silence the law of the jungle” would undermine its credibility as an institution.

“We cannot succumb to extremists; we have to continue to pursue peace through the establishment of a Palestinian state,” the prime minister said.

“We need two states, two people living side by side in peace, and this will only be achieved through the adherence to the principles of international law.”

11 Sep 2025 - 21:07
 (21:07 GMT)
Houthi

Qatar to continue diplomatic efforts, will not tolerate security infringement

Sheikh Mohammed told the UNSC that Doha will continue humanitarian and diplomatic efforts “to spare bloodshed”, but warned that it will not tolerate further breaches of its security and sovereignty.

He argued that the fact that Israel carried out an attack during mediation efforts shows that it intended to derail them.

“The current leaders of Israel are arrogant, and they believe that they enjoy impunity,” Qatar’s prime minister said.

“Israel is undermining the stability of the region impetuously,” Sheikh Mohammed added. “It is trying to undermine any prospect of peace.”

11 Sep 2025 - 21:03
 (21:03 GMT)
Houthi

Israel says Hamas leaders ‘sole targets’ of attack in Doha

Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, is addressing the UNSC.

He said Israel carried out a strike targeting Hamas leaders who “directed attacks against Israel” planned in the “luxury confines of Doha”.

These were the “sole targets” of the attack, Danon said, claiming they were not “legitimate politicians, diplomats, or representatives”.

He claimed those targeted “orchestrated” the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

“There can be no immunity for terrorists … not for those who commit it and not for those who enable it”, Danon said.

11 Sep 2025 - 21:00
 (21:00 GMT)
Analysis

US likely to continue preventing UNSC from taking action

The US displeasure with Israel’s attack on Qatar’s capital will not be enough to change its attitude towards its ally, American writer and activist Phyllis Bennis says.

“The US will continue to prevent the UNSC from taking action,” Bennis told Al Jazeera.

Bennis noted that the US ambassador to the UN has ignored the fact that a large number of captives have been released through negotiations and described the attack as a worthy goal to go after Hamas – “and in this case, after the negotiators”.

Washington said it was going to ensure that such an attack on Qatar never happens again.

“This implies that they could have prevented it from happening in the first place,” Bennis said.

11 Sep 2025 - 20:53
 (20:53 GMT)
Houthi

Israel’s attack puts international community to the test: Qatar

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is addressing the UNSC.

He said Israel’s attack on Doha “puts the international community to the test”.

“Israel has gone beyond any borders and limitation, and we are unable to predict what [it] can do,” the prime minister said.

This attack is “far from the civilised behaviour of states that believe in peace”, he added.

11 Sep 2025 - 20:45
 (20:45 GMT)

‘Israel has lost its main ally’ as US unable to defend Israel at UNSC

By Gabriel Elizondo

Reporting from the UN headquarters

What stood out from US Ambassador Dorothy Shea was clearly one thing, without a doubt – she was not able to defend Israel.

I’ve sat through dozens of these meeting at the Security Council, and it is always the US, no matter what … that defends Israel unquestionably.

Even when it came to the starvation in Gaza, the US was defending Israel.

This, they were not able to defend.

[Shea said] this strike on Doha does not advance the interest of the US or even Israel itself.

This was the key line out of this, that Israel has lost its main ally, the US, when it comes to the strike on Doha.

11 Sep 2025 - 20:30
 (20:30 GMT)
Analysis

Countries supporting Qatar must come up with ‘concrete action plan’ in response to Israeli attack

By Osama Bin Javaid

Reporting from Doha, Qatar

It is a pivotal moment for the entire region. This is an unprecedented attack on an Arab country, after years of multiple countries in the region trying to normalise ties with Israel.

What this attack on Qatari soil has done is push that narrative away from this being a Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and brining it yet again to a wider, regional issue.

It is quite important for Qatar to highlight that this is not an issue only for Qatar … it wants the response to be a regional response, and that is what we’ve been seeing in the past 48 hours multiple allies within the region arriving in Doha.

This show of solidarity … is not just from Arab countries, it is also countries in the Western Hemisphere – the Europeans, the Americans [and] Iran, Turkiye.

They have to come up with not just words, but with a concrete action plan on what they will do if this does not stop.

They have at their behest a number of tools – they have diplomatic actions … then there are the trade routes and economic issues that these countries can take on board.

There are a multitude of options that have always been available.

11 Sep 2025 - 20:15
 (20:15 GMT)
Analysis

Sanctions on Israel could be watershed moment at UNSC

American writer and activist Phyllis Bennis says a significant development at the UN Security Council would be the endorsement of the sanctions the UN General Assembly called for in a majority vote last year, which included economic sanctions and the suspension of trade, cooperation agreements and diplomatic ties.

However, as the US has vetoed dozens of UNSC resolutions critical of Israel,  Bennis said “impunity breeds war” and that “the US government provides the impunity that enables the Israeli genocide.”

The activist added that Arab countries, which have so far refrained from taking action because of their relationship with the US, could also impose sanctions and measures against Israeli officials.

11 Sep 2025 - 20:00
 (20:00 GMT)

What does history tell us about how to stop genocides?

From Cambodia to Rwanda, no genocide in modern history has ended without military intervention.

Gaza is no exception.

AJ+ editorial lead Tony Karon explains what it will take to stop Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.