Days after Israel launched an airstrike on Qatar targeting senior Hamas figures, U.S. President Donald Trump issued measured remarks on Sunday, urging restraint as tensions rise between two of Washington`s key Middle Eastern allies.

“Qatar has been a very great ally. Israel and everyone else, we have to be careful. When we attack people, we have to be careful,” Trump told reporters, carefully balancing U.S. support for both nations.

The comments came in the wake of Tuesday’s unprecedented Israeli strike on Doha, where Hamas leaders and Israeli negotiators had reportedly been holding indirect talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza. The attack killed five Hamas operatives and a Qatari security officer, marking a significant escalation with regional and diplomatic consequences.

The strike has drawn sharp condemnation across the Arab and Muslim world. In response, leaders from across the region, including Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, gathered in Doha to demonstrate unity and demand accountability. Qatar`s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called on the international community to “stop using double standards” and hold Israel responsible for its actions.

The incident has added strain to an already volatile situation in the Middle East. Qatar, which plays a key role in regional diplomacy and hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Gulf, has been a key intermediary in past negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, and other stakeholders.

While Israel has not officially commented on the strike, the move has fueled fears of further regional destabilization and drawn attention to the fragile nature of international mediation efforts in the Gaza conflict.

The U.S. administration now faces a delicate balancing act, navigating its strategic partnerships with both nations amid rising regional backlash and concerns over the direction of the conflict.