U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order pledging to guarantee the security of the State of Qatar, including the use of military force if the country is attacked.

The executive order comes just three weeks after Israeli airstrikes targeted Hamas leaders inside Qatar, sparking widespread outrage among Qatari and American officials and raising questions about the strength of U.S. security guarantees for its Gulf allies.

The order states that if Qatar is subjected to an attack, the United States must take “all lawful and appropriate measures, including diplomacy, economic action, and, if necessary, military force, to defend the interests of the United States and the State of Qatar.”

It also instructs the U.S. Secretary of War to coordinate with senior officials to maintain joint contingency plans with Qatar, ensuring a “rapid and coordinated response to any external aggression against the Gulf state.”

Qatar hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, making the recent Israeli strike—carried out by a close Washington ally—a major shock to Qatari officials.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the airstrikes, saying they were part of Israel’s declared mission to retaliate for the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. He also accused the Qatari government of providing a “safe haven” for Hamas leaders.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani condemned the Israeli attack as “state terrorism,” reiterating that Qatar’s hosting of Hamas officials was done at the request of the United States to facilitate communication channels with the group.