A series of explosions rocked Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday as Israel targeted the living quarters of senior members of Hamas.

The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.  

For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization's operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.  

Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence. 

The IDF and ISA will continue to operate with determination in order to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre.

Details are sketchy at the moment, but this is what seems to have taken place.

It is unclear how the attack took place. Some X accounts are attributing it to an airstrike. The IDF press release credits the Israel Security Agency, aka Shabak or Shin Bet. Its focus is intelligence, but it has direct action capabilities. The target being located in the middle of Doha, in my mind, indicates that Shin Bet planted explosives, as happened in Tehran, Iran, wiping out a slice of the military and security forces command structure.

The attack was greenlighted by the Trump administration and by Qatar. 

In retrospect, the tone of President Trump's statement could indicate the attack was given the go-ahead a week ago.

The entire upper tier of Hamas leadership was eliminated.

Implications:

If Qatar did approve the attacks, it indicates Hamas has nowhere left to run. It also suggests that the war in Gaza is not playing as well in the Arab world as it is in Manhattan and London.

Eliminating the top layer of Hamas leadership marks a departure from the past in two ways. First, it sends a signal that the days of cosplaying as a revolutionary while enjoying five-star meals and Russian hookers are over. Second, it means that Israel and Trump have decided that the Doha-based leadership were not good-faith negotiating partners, and they've decided to roll the dice on what comes next. I think that also has larger implications for the Ukraine war, where US policy since 2022 has been focused on Putin's political survival.

It remains to be seen if Israel can turn this strategic masterstroke into operational gains and released hostages. It will take a couple of weeks for Hamas's head to stop spinning and decide if the continued war is in its best interests.

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