The recent Israeli attack on Qatar has left shockwaves throughout the Middle East and has brought decades-old assumptions of regional alliances and power dynamics into question. It is a major escalation, not only of the Israel-traditional adversary conflict, but of its relations with one of the leading Western partners and a prominent international relations actor. This unprecedented event raises a lot of questions that the international community, especially the United States and its allies, has to address.

This is the most recent strike, which conforms to a pattern of Israeli conduct that has long complicated global diplomatic activity. Defense Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a joint statement, defended the attack by connecting it to a recent shooting in occupied East Jerusalem. It said that “The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister believed that the action was fully justified given the fact that it was this Hamas leadership that initiated and organized the October 7 massacre.” This argument, which positions the attack as a necessary counter-terrorism action, likewise poses a hard question.

In multiple negotiations, especially those arbitrated by the US under President Donald Trump, diplomatic advancement has been followed by a decisive military response. This trend has prompted many to speculate whether or not these strikes are meant to sabotage peace-making efforts and establish military superiority over a negotiated solution. This pattern cannot be overlooked by the timing of the attack on Qatar, which is an important country in terms of diplomatic backchannels and is a home to a significant US military presence. It raises a hard question: Does this suggest a new geopolitical hierarchy, where the actions of one nation can seemingly override the diplomatic efforts of a global superpower?

The most baffling part of this episode is the choice of place of attack, i.e., Qatar. Unlike Gaza, which is besieged and isolated, or Iran, which is heavily sanctioned by the international community and has been operating against the US bloc, Qatar is a strategic ally of the U.S, France, and the UK. It is among the richest countries in the world and has Al Udeid Air Base, which is the largest US military base in the area and an important base of American operations in the Middle East and around the globe.

In this context, how come Qatar apparently had no means of defending itself against a flagrant violation of its sovereignty? The Qatari military is well-equipped and modern, although it is rather small. They have an army of about 12,000 active forces and cannot match a major regional power. The real conundrum, however, is its security alliances. The Peninsula Shield Force, which is the military wing of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), may be expected to respond strongly. The force is meant to defend all member states in the event of any threat to any of the member states, so its silence and inability to act against this blatant breach of the sovereignty of a member state are cause for concern. Would this power be as feeble and unresponsive as it now seems to the world, or would it ever act in its mandate?

This attack is also a chilling reminder of a repeated pattern of aggression by Israel. Since its frequent attacks on targets in Syria, to this new direct bombing on an American ally, it is evident that Israel is ready to exercise its military force to assert power in the area. Having apparently left the US base in Qatar vulnerable, and the collective defense pact of the GCC seemingly not being put to the test, observers are left asking, Who is next? The example of attacking a friendly country, a diplomatic lynchpin no less, paves the way to a new period of geopolitical instability.

The reaction of the world to this event is critical. The attack cannot be greeted with silence or diplomatic platitudes, in the name of the stability of the region and the integrity of international law. The international organizations should criticize such an act and be held responsible. The United States, especially, is forced to answer the underlying questions of the strike on the sovereignty of its closest partner. It is not just an issue of a foreign policy challenge; it is a test of its status as a world power and its capacity to defend its strategic interests and allies. Any act of not holding Israel accountable risks emboldening further aggression and may result in a full erosion of confidence in the global security alliances that may lead to a more dangerous and unpredictable future.