Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised former U.S. President Donald Trump after the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling the action a show of “strength” that reinforces their shared belief in achieving “peace through strength.”
In a pre-dawn video address, Netanyahu said: “President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
The statement followed a dramatic announcement from Trump himself, posted on Truth Social, confirming that U.S. forces had struck Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan all key hubs in Tehran’s uranium enrichment and nuclear research programs.
“We have taken decisive action to prevent a nuclear threat from Iran,” Trump wrote. “The world is safer tonight.”
Sources within the Pentagon described the mission as “surgical and highly successful,” designed to cripple Iran’s nuclear capacity without escalating to full-blown war.
The airstrikes represent one of the most dramatic escalations in U.S.-Iran relations in recent years and mark a significant shift in American foreign policy posture in the Middle East under Trump’s reemergence on the global stage.
Iran has yet to release a full statement, but preliminary reports from state media acknowledge “foreign attacks” on nuclear infrastructure and suggest retaliatory plans are under consideration. Iranian military officials have placed air defense units on high alert across major cities, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad. Israel, long seen as Iran’s chief regional rival, has maintained pressure on Tehran over its nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu has repeatedly warned the international community about what he claims is Iran’s covert march toward nuclear weapons.
“Tonight, the civilized world stood up to terror and blackmail,” Netanyahu added. “This is a message to every regime that threatens peace with destruction, we will not stand idly by.”
While some Israeli political figures welcomed the strikes, others cautioned about unintended consequences and the potential for open conflict in an already volatile region.
World powers, including the European Union, Russia, and China, have called for restraint. The UN Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session within 24 hours, with diplomats warning of a possible humanitarian and geopolitical crisis.
Human rights groups have also raised alarms over potential civilian harm near the targeted sites, although both Washington and Tel Aviv insist the strikes were precision-targeted with minimal risk to non-combatants.
Iran’s Response: The international community is closely monitoring for signs of direct retaliation from Tehran or its regional proxies. Middle East Tensions: Gulf states and oil markets have responded nervously, with crude prices spiking overnight. Political Fallout: Trump’s re-engagement in foreign military affairs adds new complexity to the 2026 U.S. political landscape.
As tensions surge, Netanyahu’s praise of Trump cements a renewed U.S.-Israel alliance in the face of a potential wider conflict and a moment that could redefine power dynamics in the Middle East for years to come.
