A senior US diplomat says that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will “go anywhere and do anything” he thinks is necessary to protect his country, irrespective of any borders.

“In general, after Oct. 7, everything has changed in the Middle East,” US envoy Tom Barrack said. “And Bibi Netanyahu will tell you he’s not concerned about borders.”

Barrack was speaking in response to a question about the recent Israeli attack on Qatar’s capital of Doha, which targeted Hamas officials there.

“If he feels that his borders or his people are being threatened, he will go anywhere and do anything, full stop,” Barrack said in an interview with The National.

The US diplomat, who is the US ambassador to Turkey as well as the US special envoy for Syria and Lebanon, said it was Washington that previously requested Qatar to allow Hamas and Taliban officials to reside there.

The US has repeatedly said the Israelis did not give the US a heads-up on the attack, which took place on the soil of one of Washington’s major non-NATO allies. Barrack said he does not agree “with a lot of things” the Israelis do, but he has respect for them, “because they tell you exactly what’s going to happen.”