Former U.S. President Donald Trump has praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel’s recent military actions against Iran while also crediting himself for the outcome.
In a televised interview aired Tuesday with conservative commentator Mark Levin, Trump lauded Netanyahu’s leadership during Israel’s mid-June air campaign against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The strikes targeted key sites in Natanz and Isfahan, killing senior military officials and nuclear scientists. Days later, the United States intensified the operation by deploying heavy munitions against the deeply buried Fordo facility. A subsequent U.S. assessment indicated Fordo had suffered extensive damage, although the full extent remains uncertain.
Trump linked the Israeli offensive to his own foreign policy record, asserting that the two countries worked in close coordination. He also took credit for securing the release of hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel. Around 30 hostages were freed in January during a cease-fire just before Trump’s inauguration, while another was released in May ahead of his Middle East visit.
These followed earlier releases during Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s administration, when over 100 hostages were freed in a temporary truce.
Beyond the Iran conflict, Trump has frequently emphasized his role in international diplomacy since returning to office in January. He has claimed responsibility for brokering peace in several disputes, including between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, India and Pakistan, and Thailand and Cambodia.
He also announced the cease-fire that ended nearly two weeks of exchanges between Iran and Israel in June, framing it as part of a broader record of conflict resolution.
Netanyahu, however, faces mounting international scrutiny. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 against him and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing both of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
Israel has rejected the charges, and in June, Washington imposed sanctions on four ICC judges in response.
Iran has consistently insisted its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes. While the joint Israeli-U.S. strikes have significantly disrupted its uranium enrichment capacity, experts caution that Tehran may eventually be able to rebuild at undisclosed locations.
Iranian state-linked media on Wednesday dismissed Trump’s comments as incoherent, underscoring the persistent hostility between the two countries.
