Politics
Qatar bombing tests the limits of Trump-Netanyahu alliance
- Trump again annoyed at Netanyahu, but rupture unlikely.
- Analysts see Trump’s support for Israel despite disagreements.
- Israel kept Washington in dark about Qatar strikes, officials say.
WASHINGTON: Less than four months ago, President Donald Trump met with the leader of Qatar, praising his opulent palace and signing a sweeping defence agreement with the Gulf monarchy, a key ally that hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East.
Israel’s surprise attack on Tuesday against Hamas leaders in Doha has jolted that relationship, angering Trump and drawing fierce condemnation from Doha and Western allies.
Ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and targeting the political offices of the Palestinian group, the strikes killed a Qatari security agent and five others, but failed to kill the Hamas leaders. Trump said he was “very unhappy about every aspect” of the Israeli operation.
But for all the indignation, the strikes are unlikely to change the president’s fundamental approach toward Israel, analysts and US officials say. If anything, the bombings underlined the cold calculus beneath the Trump-Netanyahu relationship.
Israel has shown it is not afraid to act against US interests. The administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not formally warn Washington of its impending bombing campaign on Tuesday, US officials said.
That lack of warning recalled Israel’s September 2024 attack on Hezbollah, when Israel wounded thousands of the group’s members with booby-trapped pagers, without informing then-President Joe Biden.
Trump, for his part, has occasionally expressed displeasure with Netanyahu. But his administration has strongly supported Israel’s campaign to weaken Hamas and allowed it to largely take the lead on key issues such as Iran’s nuclear program.
“On this one, I think Trump is annoyed by Netanyahu’s tactics,” said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and veteran US peace negotiator.
But, Miller added, “(Trump’s) instinct is that he agrees with Netanyahu’s notion that Hamas cannot just be hollowed out as a military organisation. It needs to be fundamentally weakened.”
Asked for comment, the White House referred Reuters to remarks by Trump on Truth Social on Tuesday night, during which he said the bombings did not advance US or Israeli interests.
“However,” Trump wrote, “eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”
The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
No rupture likely
Some analysts declined to rule out the possibility that Netanyahu may yet exhaust Trump’s patience if he springs more surprises on Washington.
In practice, that could mean a withdrawal of political cover for Israel’s ongoing invasion of Gaza, which has provoked outrage among European and Arab nations as famine conditions spread.
Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian enclave was triggered by a Hamas-led rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“As his Arab friends complain to him about what Israel is doing — and they are doing so now — he may say to them give me a credible plan for the day after in Gaza and with an alternative to Hamas running it and I will tell Bibi you have done enough,” said Dennis Ross, a former Middle East negotiator for Democratic and Republican administrations.
Israel’s strike in Doha will likely dampen Trump’s hopes for more Gulf states joining the Abraham Accords, a landmark agreement brokered by his first administration in which several Arab countries forged diplomatic ties with Israel.
Still, a rupture between the two men seems unlikely, argued Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, saying that Trump appreciates strength and transactions that end wars.
“If Netanyahu can continue to appeal to those two sides of this president then he will be okay. I’m not concerned about the relationship,” said Oren.
Hot and cold
The Trump-Netanyahu partnership has seen ups and downs, administration officials acknowledge.
“It’s been hot and cold since the campaign,” said one senior White House official.
In May, Trump travelled to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates during his first major foreign trip, skipping Israel, which many analysts viewed as a snub. The Republican president returned to office in January promising to reinvigorate relations with Netanyahu that had deteriorated under his Democratic predecessor.
During that trip, Trump agreed to lift sanctions on the new Syrian government at the behest of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. That move alarmed Israeli officials who question the motives of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander.
But just a month later, the Trump-Netanyahu alliance seemed back on track. After Israel launched an air war on Iran in June, Trump — who campaigned on ending foreign conflicts — surprised even some of his own political allies by sending B-2 bombers to partially destroy Iran’s key nuclear facilities.
If that created goodwill within the Netanyahu administration, it did not benefit Trump’s foreign policy interests, at least in the short term.
Days later, Trump profanely chastised Iran and Israel for breaking a US-brokered ceasefire. In July, the US appeared to criticise an Israeli strike in Damascus, which destroyed part of Syria’s defence ministry. And on Tuesday, Israel notified the US shortly before the Qatar strike, but there was no coordination with or approval from Washington, two US officials said.
“The US can seek to cajole and push Israel to take decisions,” said Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy US national intelligence officer on the Middle East. “But Netanyahu will continue to act in a manner that it views as in the best interests of Israel alone.”
- Indian refiners to curtail imports of Russian after US sanctions.
- Top Indian buyer of Russian oil says it will abide by sanctions.
- India’s Russian oil imports fell by 8.4% from April to September.
HYDERABAD: Indian refiners have not placed new orders for Russian oil purchases since sanctions were imposed, as they await clarity from the government and suppliers, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Some refiners are tapping the spot markets to meet their crude oil needs, said the sources, who did not want to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media.
State-run Indian Oil has issued a tender for the purchase of oil, while conglomerate Reliance Industries has boosted purchases from spot markets, according to sources.
The European Union, the UK, and the US have imposed a raft of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, including fresh US sanctions on Thursday that target Russia’s two top oil producers, Lukoil and Rosneft.
Indian refiners are poised to sharply curtail imports of Russian oil to comply with the new US sanctions, Reuters reported on Thursday, potentially removing a major hurdle to a trade deal with the US.
Last week, Reliance, the top Indian buyer of Russian oil, said it will abide by the sanctions while maintaining its relationship with current oil suppliers. Reuters also reported that the firm plans to stop importing oil from Rosneft.
“We have not placed orders yet for fresh cargoes and have cancelled some that were booked from traders with links to the sanctioned entities,” said one of the sources.
“We need to ensure that our purchases are not linked to sanctioned entities as banks will not facilitate payments,” a third source said.
A separate source said his firm is waiting to see if it can get cargoes from non-sanctioned traders or entities.
India bought 1.9 million barrels per day in the first nine months of 2025, or 40% of Russia’s total exports, according to the International Energy Agency.
India’s Russian oil imports between April and September fell 8.4% on year due to narrower discounts and tighter supplies, with refiners seeking more oil from the Middle East and the US, according to trade sources and shipping data.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday lauded Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, during talks in Tokyo, welcoming her commitment to accelerate Japan’s military buildup and overseeing the signing of new agreements on trade and critical minerals.
Takaichi a close ally of Trump’s late friend and golfing partner, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly told Trump she would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the new Japanese leader is also expected to announce a $550 billion investment package, including shipbuilding projects and increased imports of U.S. soybeans, natural gas, and pickup trucks.
Analysts believe these commitments could ease potential U.S. pressure on Tokyo to spend even more on defense amid rising tensions with China.
Takaichi has already pledged to boost defense spending to 2% of GDP as part of her government’s long-term strategy.
“It’s a very strong handshake,” Trump remarked as the two leaders posed for photographs at the Akasaka Palace in central Tokyo.
“Everything I’ve heard from Shinzo and others tells me you’ll be one of Japan’s great prime ministers,” Trump said, congratulating Takaichi on becoming the country’s first woman to hold the office.
Takaichi gifted Trump Abe’s putter, a golf bag signed by Japanese major winner Hideki Matsuyama and a gold leaf golf ball, according to photos posted on X by Trump’s assistant Margo Martin.
DEAL ON CRITICAL MINERALS SIGNED
Trump also praised Japan’s efforts to purchase more U.S. defence equipment, while Takaichi said Trump’s role in securing ceasefires between Cambodia and Thailand, and Israel and Palestinian militants, were “unprecedented” achievements.
Takaichi followed other world leaders to recommended Trump for the Peace Prize he has long said he is worthy of.
The leaders then signed an agreement to support the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, as the countries seek to wean reliance off China’s chokehold on the materials crucial for a wide range of products from smartphones to fighter jets.
The deal aims to jointly identify projects of interest in areas such as magnets and batteries over the next six months and work together to develop stockpiles of key minerals among other measures.
Trump was last at the palace, an ornate residence built in a European style, in 2019 for talks with Abe, who was assassinated in 2022.
After lunch with Takaichi there, Trump met with relatives of people abducted by North Korea in the 1960s and 1970s to train its spies and their relatives.
While some were later repatriated, Japan continues to press Pyongyang for a full accounting of all the abductees and the return of any who remain alive, a cause championed by Abe.
“The United States is with them all the way,” Trump said after greeting the families.
The U.S. leader began his visit on Monday with a meeting at the Imperial Palace with Japanese Emperor Naruhito .
VISIT U.S. NAVAL BASE
Takaichi’s gifts to Trump and repeated references to Abe are aimed at evoking memories of a close bond forged over hours the pair spent golfing together during Trump’s first term.
Abe was assassinated in 2022, with the trial of his assailant coincidentally beginning in the western city of Nara on Tuesday.
A similar close relationship with the leader of Japan’s key security and trade partner could help Takaichi bolster her weak political position at home.
Though she has seen a surge in public support since becoming prime minister, her coalition government is two votes shy of a majority in parliament’s lower house.
Trump and Takaichi will later visit the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka near Tokyo, which is home to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, part of the U.S. military’s powerful presence in the region.
Trump will then meet business leaders in Tokyo, before travelling on Wednesday to South Korea.
In talks there with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he hopes to seal a trade war truce between the world’s two biggest economies.
- Leaders meet in Tokyo, set to visit US naval base.
- Shipbuilding, soybeans, gas are on the agenda, sources say.
- Trump eyes trade deal with China after Japan visit.
TOKYO: US President Donald Trump lavished praise on Japan’s first female leader Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday, welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and critical minerals.
Takaichi, a close ally of Trump’s friend and golfing partner late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said she would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
She is also expected to offer a package of US investments under a $550-billion deal agreed this year, including shipbuilding, and increased purchases of US soybeans, natural gas and pickup trucks, sources familiar with the talks said.
Those gestures may temper any Trump demands for Tokyo to spend more on defending islands from an increasingly assertive China, which Takaichi sought to head off by pledging last week to fast-track plans to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP.
“It’s a very strong handshake,” Trump said, as the pair posed for photos at the Akasaka Palace in downtown Tokyo.
“Everything I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers. I’d also like to congratulate you on being the first woman prime minister. It’s a big deal,” Trump told Takaichi as the pair sat down for discussions with their delegations.
Takaichi gifted Trump Abe’s putter, a golf bag signed by Japanese major winner Hideki Matsuyama and a gold leaf golf ball, according to photos posted on X by Trump’s assistant Margo Martin.
Deal on critical minerals signed
Trump also praised Japan’s efforts to purchase more US defence equipment, while Takaichi said Trump’s role in securing ceasefires between Cambodia and Thailand, and Israel and Palestinian militants, were “unprecedented” achievements.
Takaichi followed other world leaders to recommended Trump for the Peace Prize he has long said he is worthy of.
The leaders then signed an agreement to support the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, as the countries seek to wean reliance off China’s chokehold on the materials crucial for a wide range of products from smartphones to fighter jets.
The deal aims to jointly identify projects of interest in areas such as magnets and batteries over the next six months and work together to develop stockpiles of key minerals among other measures.
Trump was last at the palace, an ornate residence built in a European style, in 2019 for talks with Abe, who was assassinated in 2022.
The US leader received a royal welcome shortly after his arrival on Monday, meeting with Japanese Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace.
Visit US naval base
Takaichi’s gifts to Trump and repeated references to Abe are aimed at evoking memories of a close bond forged over hours the pair spent golfing together during Trump’s first term. Abe was assassinated in 2022, with the trial of his assailant coincidentally beginning in the western city of Nara on Tuesday.
A similar close relationship with the leader of Japan’s key security and trade partner could help Takaichi bolster her weak political position at home.
Though she has seen a surge in public support since becoming prime minister, her coalition government is two votes shy of a majority in parliament’s lower house.
Trump and Takaichi will later visit the US naval base in Yokosuka near Tokyo, which is home to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, part of the US military’s powerful presence in the region.
Trump will then meet business leaders in Tokyo, before travelling on Wednesday to South Korea. In talks there with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he hopes to seal a trade war truce between the world’s two biggest economies.
UPS stock soars on third-quarter earnings beat, turnaround plan
UK’s clothing imports mark strong rebound in August 2025
‘Stranger Things’ star weighs in on fans’ key question
-
Fashion1 week agoChinese woman charged over gold theft at Paris Natural History Museum
-
Tech7 days agoThis Smart Warming Mug Is Marked Down by $60
-
Entertainment7 days agoJohn Grisham unveils his first-ever mystery, “The Widow”
-
Fashion1 week agoeBay UK seller fee removal sends revenue down but profits rise
-
Tech1 week agoEaster Island’s Moai Statues May Have Walked to Where They Now Stand
-
Sports1 week agoIs Mount the answer to what Amorim’s trying to do at Man United?
-
Entertainment1 week agoMeghan Markle broke down in tears at charity tennis tournament
-
Tech1 week agoOpenAI has slipped shopping into ChatGPT users’ chats—here’s why that matters