Qatar denied receiving advance warning from the United States of Israeli strikes on Doha on Tuesday, saying the notification came after the attack had already started.
"Statements circulating about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are false. The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari posted on X.
US President Donald Trump feels "very badly" about Israel's strike and directed a top aide, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar that the attack was coming, the White House said on Tuesday.
Trump said he had tried but was "unfortunately, too late" to stop the Israeli attack on the Gulf state, a crucial broker in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war.
"This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.
"I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack," he said – although adding that eliminating Hamas was still a "worthy goal."
The president also said he was "not thrilled" about the attack, telling reporters he would give a full statement on Wednesday, but said he was very unhappy about the Israeli strike.
"I'm not thrilled about it," Trump said as he arrived at a Washington restaurant. "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."
He said he was "very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect."
Hamas said five of its members had been killed in the Israeli attack in Doha, including the son of Hamas's exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya.
The United States counts Qatar as a strong ally in the Gulf and has relied on the Qataris to play an intermediary role in negotiations aimed at getting to a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US military informed the administration on Tuesday morning that Israel's strike was going to take place. She would not answer when asked who informed the US military.
When Trump learned about it, he directed US special envoy Witkoff to warn Qatar it was coming, she said.
After the strike, Trump spoke to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, she said.
He assured the Qatari leader that "such a thing will not happen again on their soil." She referred to the strike as an "unfortunate incident" and said Trump "feels very badly" about the location of the attack.
The United States has been trying to arrange a ceasefire-for-captives deal to secure the release of the remaining captives and look ahead to a plan for post-war Gaza.
"Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar - a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard in bravely taking risks with us to broker peace - does not advance Israel or America's goals," Leavitt said.
"However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed Special Envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did," she said.