Qatar prepares to retaliate: "We have reached a decisive moment"

"The State of Qatar is committed to decisive action against anything directed at its territories, reserves the right to retaliate and will take all necessary measures to retaliate," Al Thani said at a press conference.

The Qatari Prime Minister said that his Minister of State will call a meeting today to "review all policies and directives to deter such actions and measures in the future and prevent this from happening again," The Hill reports.

Al Thani called the attack on Doha Israeli "state terrorism", pointing out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatens regional security and violates the sovereignty of neighboring countries.

• Explosions in Qatar; A major attack by Israel is underway VIDEO

"I think we have reached a decisive moment. There should be retribution for the whole region for those barbaric actions that reflect only one thing: they reflect the barbarism of this person who, unfortunately, leads the region to a point where we cannot solve any situation and we cannot fix anything, and we cannot work within the framework of international laws,'' Al Thani said.

He also accused Netanyahu of violating those international laws, but nevertheless noted that Qatar will continue to play a mediating role in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

"Mediation and Qatari diplomacy are part of the country's identity and will continue, and nothing will stop us from persevering in this role in the various issues around us in the region, in order to achieve the stability of the region and ultimately the stability of our peoples," Al Thani said.

South Korea's permanent mission, which chairs the UN Security Council in September, said the body would meet today regarding the Israeli attack on Qatar.

"The meeting under the agenda item 'Situation in the Middle East' is scheduled for tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. local time," journalists in the mission were told last night.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned yesterday's Israeli attack targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, the capital of Qatar, noting the "very positive role" that country played in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages.