Qatar, in the firing line again, tries to balance diplomatic and business ambitions

By Andrew Mills, Rachna Uppal and Yousef Saba

DOHA (Reuters) -Israel’s strikes targeting Hamas in Doha, hot on the heels of an Iranian hit on a U.S. base in the Gulf nation in June, could shake Qatar’s image as a stable business hub as it seeks to balance commercial goals with global diplomatic ambitions.

Qatar’s determination to carve out a diplomatic role as a mediator in the Gaza war has already pulled it into a wider Middle East conflict. In June, Iran hit the al-Udeid military base in…