【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

In early September, Israel carried out a "precision strike" against high-ranking Hamas leaders in Doha, the capital of Qatar, causing a global uproar.

At the same time, when Israeli missiles approached, the U.S. military stationed near Qatar remained silent, sparking widespread skepticism.

A document released on October 1st local time showed that President Trump recently issued an executive order pledging to consider any armed attack against Qatar as a threat to American national security. Reuters said this means the U.S. military might intervene to protect Qatar's security.

On the same day, the Qatari Foreign Ministry welcomed Trump's decision, calling it a milestone in strengthening defense ties and bilateral cooperation.

Videos posted on social media showed an explosion in Doha, Qatar on the 9th.

According to the document, Trump signed the executive order on the evening of September 29th. On that day, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House and proposed an end to the Gaza war.

"The United States will consider any armed attack against Qatar's national territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure as a threat to the peace and security of the United States," the executive order stated. "In the event of such an attack, the United States will take all legal and appropriate measures, including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military actions, to defend the interests of the United States and Qatar, and restore peace and stability."

The document stated that senior U.S. defense and intelligence officials will maintain emergency planning with Qatar to ensure a rapid response to any attack.

On the evening of September 29th, the Qatari Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed held a trilateral phone call with Netanyahu and Trump that day. In the conversation, Netanyahu apologized to Qatar for the Israeli attack on Doha, the capital of Qatar, which violated Qatari sovereignty and resulted in the death of a Qatari security official, and promised not to launch similar actions against Qatar again.

Photo of Trump meeting Netanyahu at the White House on September 29th

Reuters noted that this executive order was issued after the Israeli air strikes on Doha, seemingly significantly deepening the U.S. commitment to Qatar's security. The Israeli attack caused unease within Washington, as the U.S. has close relations with Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region. According to the White House, the Israeli attack was not notified to the U.S. beforehand.

Qatar has been a key mediator between the U.S., Israel, and Hamas regarding the Gaza conflict.

Trump's latest order goes beyond Biden's order in 2022. At that time, the U.S. designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, allowing for enhanced military cooperation, but did not commit to defending Qatar if it were attacked.

The report mentioned that Trump did not sign a collective defense treaty with Qatar, as making it legal requires congressional approval. According to U.S. regulations, a president's executive order can be revoked by any future U.S. president.

Reuters also noted that Saudi Arabia has long sought similar security assurances as part of Washington's efforts to push Riyadh to normalize relations with Israel, but such agreements have not yet been achieved. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan covering "nuclear protection."

On the evening of September 9th, explosions were heard in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Soon after, the Israeli military and the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced responsibility for the incident, stating that the attack was carried out by the Israeli Air Force, targeting the leadership of Hamas in Doha.

According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. military detected Israeli aircraft flying east toward the Persian Gulf, but there was little time to respond. Three U.S. officials said, "The U.S. sought clarification, but when Israel provided clarification, the missiles had already launched."

Iranian media also questioned why the U.S. had the land-based "Patriot" missile defense system and the "Thaad" anti-missile system in the Middle East, but did not fire a single shot to protect Qatar from the Israeli invasion. However, in June this year, the U.S. military had fired "Patriot" missiles to help Israel defend against Iranian missile attacks.

The White House previously responded that Trump "was informed of the impending military operation by his military and had warned the Qatari leadership." However, Qatari officials complained that they only learned about the attack 10 minutes after it occurred.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, senior U.S. government officials revealed that Trump had a heated phone call with Netanyahu to express his strong dissatisfaction with Israel's attack on Qatar without prior notice.

According to the officials, Trump pointed out to Netanyahu during the phone call that attacking Hamas political leaders in the Qatari capital was "not a wise move." What angered Trump most was that he found out about the attack not from Israel, but from the U.S. military, and the target was another ally that was helping the U.S. mediate the Gaza negotiations.

Nevertheless, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio visited Israel after the incident. He also said that the U.S. was dissatisfied with Israel's attack, but this action would not change the alliance relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

This article is exclusive to Observer Net. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

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