DOHA – Israel carried out an attack against the Hamas leadership in Doha, an Israeli source told CNN, after an explosion was heard in the Qatari capital. The source didn’t say who was targeted, but a Hamas official said its negotiating team was targeted.

A spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry has condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the attack that Israel has now claimed responsibility for.

Dr Majed Al Ansari says the strike hit a residential premises "where a number of members of Hamas' political bureau reside in the Qatari capital, Doha".

He says the attack constitutes a "flagrant violation" of international laws as well as a "serious threat" to those in Qatar.

"The State of Qatar strongly condemns this attack, and affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the continuous tampering with the security of the region and any action aimed at its security and sovereignty," the statement concludes. Hamas leaders have used the Qatari capital as a headquarters outside of Gaza for years. Shortly after the explosion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement that it had targeted “senior leadership” of Hamas with “a precise strike” in a joint operation with the Shin Bet security agency. The statement didn’t specify where the operation was carried out, but suggested that it was outside Gaza. For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the group's operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against Israel, the statement said. A senior Hamas official confirmed to CNN that the group’s negotiators were targeted in Doha. On Monday, Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha. The attack appears to mark the first time Israel has launched an operation in Qatar. – Agencies