Since last week, analysts have questioned how Israel managed to bypass Qatar’s sophisticated air defense systems in its strike on Hamas leaders in Doha.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Israeli fighter jets launched ballistic missiles into space over Saudi Arabia to avoid violating its airspace in a sophisticated attack that stunned the world.

Senior US officials told WSJ that the operation was carried out by 12 aircraft—eight F-15s and four F-35s—which flew to the Red Sea, 1,500 kilometers away from Doha, to carry out the attack.

Israel has never publicly confirmed possessing air-launched ballistic missiles, but defense publications have long reported that the Jewish state owns multiple models. These include Rafael’s Anchor, originally designed as a test target for the Arrow missile defense system; the Rampage, produced by Elbit and Israel Aerospace Industries; and Rock, also produced by Rafael and believed to be derived from the Anchor.

Unlike slower, maneuverable cruise missiles, ballistic missiles travel at high speed along steep, fixed trajectories, making them difficult for dense air defense networks to intercept. When they are launched from the air, they avoid the vulnerability of ground launch sites and can strike with extraordinary speed.

Only a few countries possess air-launched ballistic missiles, including Russia, China and Israel.

The report added that Israel notified the U.S. military only minutes before the strike, without providing precise details about the target. The officials told WSJ that “space-based US sensors that detect infrared heat signatures picked up the launch and the trajectory of the missiles, confirming Doha as the destination.”

However, information reached Washington too late for the Trump administration to respond.

“Notice was given so close to the actual launching of missiles that there was no way to reverse or halt the order,” a senior U.S. defense official said.

U.S. Central Command relayed the information to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who informed the White House. President Trump instructed envoy Steve Witkoff to alert Qatar, but officials in Doha said the warning arrived about ten minutes after the missiles had already struck.

The episode underscored both Israel’s ability to carry out precision strikes over long distances and the diplomatic risks of operating in the territory of a close US ally. Saudi officials condemned the attack but avoided publicly addressing the Israeli missile flights over their airspace.

However, the strike failed to kill Hamas’ top leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, who were reportedly nearby but not in the building that was hit.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)