Iranian and Israeli military strikes have targeted Qatari territory this summer.
Future attacks on the Middle East monarchy of Qatar will be treated as a threat to the peace and security of the United States, President Donald Trump affirmed in an executive order issued on Sept. 29.
Trump’s executive order notes Qatar’s position as a key U.S. strategic partner in the Middle East, including its role in hosting U.S. forces, supporting regional security efforts, and acting as a key diplomatic intermediary. The executive order was signed one day after the Qatari government facilitated the release of a U.S. citizen from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
“In recognition of this history, and in light of the continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar against external attack,” Trump’s executive order reads.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”
The Qatari Foreign Ministry, in an Oct. 1 statement, described Trump’s executive order as “a reflection of the strong and longstanding ties between Doha and Washington, built on cooperation and partnership in mediation, conflict resolution, and global peace and security.”
Trump’s order may come as an added level of assurance of U.S. support for Qatar after attacks inside its sovereign territory.
Iranian forces launched missiles at a U.S. military outpost in Qatar in June, in retaliation for U.S. strikes targeting a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities.
Qatar again came under fire in September, this time by another key regional partner of the United States.
On Sept. 9, Israeli warplanes attacked a gathering of political leaders of the Hamas terrorist group in the Qatari capital city of Doha. Hamas reported that five of its officials were killed in the strikes, while the Qatari government noted a member of its security forces was also killed.
The Qatari government has hosted political leaders of Hamas over the years and has served as an intermediary in negotiations to resolve the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.
By Ryan Morgan
