VIDEO: US still backs 'Israel' despite Qatar strike concerns, says US Secretary of State Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that he will raise with 'Israeli' officials the repercussions of 'Israel’s' recent strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar, while stressing that the Gulf state remains “useful” to Washington on several fronts.

Rubio, who is visiting 'Israel' and the United Kingdom between September 13 and 18, noted that President Donald Trump was displeased with the strike. “It’s natural that we are not happy about it, but what happened will not affect the nature of our relationship with Tel Aviv,” Rubio told reporters.

He added that his talks in Israel will focus on understanding its strategic plans, while also pressing for the release of all captives held in Gaza “at once.”

The secretary of state’s remarks came after Trump publicly criticized the strike, expressing his dissatisfaction and saying he was “not pleased” with 'Israel’s' decision to target Hamas leaders on Qatari soil.

Qatar, which has played a key mediating role in ceasefire negotiations, condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty.

Background on the Strike

On Tuesday, 'Israel' carried out airstrikes in Doha targeting senior Hamas officials who were meeting to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza. Hamas later confirmed that its top leaders survived the assassination attempt, though several members were killed.

The group reiterated on Saturday its commitment to the latest ceasefire initiative put forward in August, saying it remains ready to engage with any proposal that leads to a permanent truce and a complete 'Israeli' withdrawal from Gaza.