Yesterday Israel undertook one of its most daring operations yet, targeting the very top of Hamas leadership residing in the luxury of Doha. While it's unclear whether the strike was successful in taking out all of them (which Hamas denies, but is yet to provide proof of their survival), it still accomplishes its main goal: demonstrating that no foe of Israel can feel safe anywhere.
For years, terrorist leaders have lived in the best hotels in Qatar, thousands of miles from the plight of ordinary Palestinians, whom they exploit as pawns in a proxy war waged at Iran’s behest.
In a remarkable twist of irony, however, it was Iran that opened the door to the Israeli bombing.
While the authorities in Jerusalem have never been shy to deploy their military to attack targets in neighbouring countries – or the long arm of the Mossad to take out hostile actors around the world – striking a developed, rich Gulf state (and a US ally) is a new chapter entirely.
And it would be very unlikely to happen if it wasn't for the 12-Day War with Iran this June and its aftermath.
Much like in Doha, Israel used guided munitions to kill Iran's top generals and nuclear scientists in their homes – which was a good target practice, showing the effectiveness of the method amid minimal collateral damage.
But the real gift came to Netanyahu on the 23rd of June, when Iranian regime, desperate to maintain face vs. the US, decided to stage a retaliation against Americans by bombing their military base in... Qatar.
The whole effort was a sham for propaganda purposes, as both Qataris and Americans were warned ahead of time and Iranian missiles did no real damage, but it set a precedent which Israel handily used yesterday.
After all, if Iranians could bomb Americans in Qatar, why shouldn't Israelis bomb Hamas leaders hiding there?
As long as the attack remained precise and limited in scope, Israel would face diplomatic condemnations but not military escalation.
That said, while Israel surely has assassination plans ready for every identifiable individual potentially threatening the country's survival, it seems unlikely that Netanyahu would have given the green light for the operation had it not been for the Iranian attack on Al Udeid.
In its context, Israel cannot be now blamed for escalation or unprecedented violation of sovereignty of a Gulf nation, given that Iran did it first.
In another comical miscalculation then, and after failing to protect Ismail Haniyeh (assassinated by Israel in Tehran last year), the mullah regime inadvertently opened the door to foreign military action on Qatari soil, removing the last layer of protection over its allies from Hamas leading billionaire lifestyles in five star hotels in Doha.
Whether or not Israel has succeeded in killing them it is surely going to rattle the group's confidence and affect their thus far comfy lifestyles, knowing that Netanyahu is willing to rain bombs even thousands of miles away from Gaza.
And they have Iran to "thank" for making it possible.
