Why Did the Israeli Operation in Doha Fail?
Brigadier General Walid chaya– September 14, 2025
On September 9, 2025, Israel carried out an airstrike in the Qatari capital, Doha, targeting senior leaders of H.amas in what was described as an attempt to “derail the entire negotiation process.” Despite the presumed precision of such operations, the intended targets managed to survive. Israel is now convinced that the attempt to assassinate H.amas leaders in Doha has failed, as none of the top political figures were killed. Some may have suffered minor injuries, while investigations are still underway to determine the reasons behind the failure despite the availability of detailed intelligence.
This raises serious questions about the causes of the failure and the lessons to be drawn from it.
One of the main reasons lies within the intelligence itself. The information Israel relied on to locate the leadership was not accurate enough, or it was not translated into effective field execution. Israeli media outlets, including Channel 12, reported that the senior leadership of Hamas was not eliminated. Some leaders may have been in other buildings or escaped due to constant movement and strict protection protocols. This outcome reflects poor coordination between intelligence gathering and operational execution, a decisive element in any targeted assassination.
The Qatari capital, Doha, enjoys strong international relations and advanced intelligence capabilities, in addition to strict security measures and precautionary protocols. Furthermore, it appears that Qatari authorities were aware of potential threats, which allowed them to take preventive measures to protect the targeted leaders. These factors combined made it extremely difficult to carry out such an operation in a densely populated and well-secured urban environment.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster, Khalil al-Hayya and other leaders were injured in the attack. However, Hamas officially confirmed that Khalil al-Hayya, the movement’s senior figure and head of its negotiating delegation, is alive. This demonstrates that the strike did not achieve its strategic goals, despite a limited number of injuries.
The main takeaway from this failed operation is that air power alone—no matter how advanced—is insufficient. Any such mission requires highly precise intelligence, meticulous planning, and continuous analysis of the operational environment to ensure success. The failure also underscores how states with strong international relations and sensitive political roles create additional layers of complexity for any assassination attempt beyond their borders.