Smoke rose over the Qatari capital Doha after an Israeli air strike targeted Hamas members. Photo: AP PHOTO

Israel has attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Qatar, escalating its military action in the Middle East with what the US described as a unilateral attack that does not advance American and Israeli interests.

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While Israel defended the attacks on Tuesday as being justified, Qatar said Israel was treacherous and engaged in "state terrorism".

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the airstrikes threatened to derail t

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