Israel hit Qatar after ‘scrapping Turkey strike due to Nato membership’

It was reportedly feared that launching a direct attack on a member of the alliance would prompt a sterner response from the Trump administration.

Article 5 of Nato’s charter states that any attack on one member of the alliance is an attack on all, potentially putting Israel in direct opposition to many of its allies, including the US and UK, had it gone ahead.

Instead, it was apparently decided to wait until the Hamas commanders gathered for a meeting in Doha before trying to assassinate them.

However, initial optimism among Israeli officials that the strike had been a success is understood to be fading.

One official, quoted by Channel 12, said: “Right now there’s no indication that the terrorists were killed.

"We continue to hope they were assassinated, but optimism is fading.”

Latest reports from Arab media suggest that those at the meeting had stepped out for afternoon prayers when the first munitions fell.

They had reportedly left their phones in the meeting room, which led Shin Bet to believe that they were present until the last moment.

The attack drew condemnation from Washington, but not a full withdrawal of its support from Israel.

President Trump told reporters that he was “very unhappy about every aspect” of the strike on a US ally. “I'm not thrilled about it,” he said.

"It's not a good situation but I will say this: We want the hostages back, but we're not thrilled about the way it went down today.”

And White House Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the administration had not given the green light for the attack, despite reports to the contrary.

She went on: "Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States,...does not advance Israel or America's goals.

"However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited of the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal."

Leavitt added that Trump had "immediately directed" his Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff, to notify Qatar's government.

The Qataris, though, are claiming that they had no advanced knowledge of the strike and only received confirmation of what was happening after the first explosions were heard.

Doha has subsequently called the attack an act of “state terrorism” and said it reserves the right to retaliate against Israel, though it did not specify in what form such retaliation could come.