The White House on Tuesday confirmed that President Donald Trump had directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to warn the Qatari government of an Israeli attack on its territory ahead of time and that he had done so.

"President Trump immediately directed Special Envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did. The president views Qatar as a strong ally of the United States," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing. "She further stated that Trump felt 'very badly' about the location of the attack."

Israel targeted Hamas leadership in the country, which has hosted diplomatic talks in the hopes of ending the war in Gaza. The Qatari government has denied advance knowledge of the strike and condemned it forcefully.