Netanyahu Praises Trump for Decisive Action Against Venezuela

Israeli leaders responded with strong praise after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a dramatic overnight operation against Venezuela, capturing its longtime ruler Nicolás Maduro and signaling a sharp shift in Washington’s approach to rogue regimes.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the first to commend the American president, applauding what he described as bold and historic leadership. In a public statement, Netanyahu congratulated Trump for acting “on behalf of freedom and justice,” saluting both his resolve and the actions of U.S. forces involved in the operation.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog echoed that message, thanking Trump for decisive leadership that he said makes the world safer. Herzog framed the strike as part of a broader global struggle against violent and destabilizing regimes, as well as the criminal networks that sustain them, including narco-trafficking operations tied to Venezuela’s leadership.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Danny Danon, went further, drawing a sharp contrast between Trump’s actions and what he characterized as passivity at the United Nations. Danon criticized UN Secretary-General António Guterres for issuing statements instead of confronting dangerous regimes directly. “Silence in the face of such threats is not neutrality,” Danon wrote, “it is complicity.”

According to Trump, U.S. forces carried out a large-scale strike overnight and detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, before flying them out of Venezuela. Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Trump said the United States would temporarily oversee Venezuela to ensure a stable and responsible transition of power.

“We don’t want to see another failure,” Trump told reporters, adding that the U.S. military stands ready to escalate if necessary. He confirmed that American forces were already operating on the ground during the operation and warned that a larger follow-up strike remained an option.

For Israel, the episode resonates deeply. Jerusalem has long argued that international hesitation toward authoritarian and criminal regimes only emboldens them. Israeli officials see Trump’s move as validation of a worldview Israel knows well: that confronting threats early and decisively is essential to protecting global security and moral clarity.

At a time when Israel itself faces relentless pressure from hostile actors and their backers, Netanyahu’s praise reflects more than diplomatic courtesy. It underscores a shared belief that standing firm against tyranny is not just a strategic choice, but a moral one.

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