The strong support Israel received from the United States in its short-lived war against Iran caused “a great change in our region” and could lead to regional peace, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday.
“The coordination between our two countries—the coordination between an American president and an Israeli prime minister—has been unmatched,” he told reporters following a private meeting with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). “It offers great promise for Israel, for America, for our region and for the world.”
Netanyahu said that U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities was a game-changer.
“The president and I believe in a doctrine called peace through strength,” Netanyahu said. “First comes strength, then comes the peace. Our resolute action, the resolute decision of President Trump to act with us against those who seek to destroy Israel and threaten the peace of the world, has made a remarkable change in the Middle East.”
Johnson released a statement offering similar sentiments following his meeting with Netanyahu. “America and Israel’s strong stand in the 12-day war dealt a devastating blow to the greatest enemy of peace in the region, leaving the Iranian regime weaker than at any point in decades,” he said in the statement. “We are hopeful that this marks the dawn of a new chapter of peace in the Middle East.”
Netanyahu said relations between Washington and Jerusalem have never been closer.
“We have learned—and the whole world has learned—that when Israel and America stand together, great things happen,” the prime minister said. “In the 77 years of Israel’s history, there has never been the degree of coordination, cooperation and trust between America and Israel that we have today, and I credit President Trump with this extraordinary achievement.”
He said talks were continuing to end the fighting in Gaza and release the remaining hostages. At a meeting of Trump’s Cabinet on Tuesday, the president’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said he hoped that there could be an agreement on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas by the end of the week.
The prime minister’s visit came after Quinnipiac University recorded the lowest support for Israel in its polls of U.S. voters going back to 2017. Just 5% said the United States needed to be more supportive of the Jewish state, while 42% said it supported Israel too much, and 45% said the amount of support was just right.
Netanyahu blamed Israel’s current low standing on a “concerted effort to spread vilifications and demonization” on social media, and that Israel would fight back with the truth.
“Once people are exposed to the facts, we win hands down,” he said.
‘Touched by tragedy’
Netanyahu also recognized the five members of the Israeli Defense Force who were killed in northern Gaza, as well as the more than 100 people killed, many of them children, during floods that have ravaged parts of Texas.
“These are momentous days, but they’re also touched by tragedy,” he said. “We lost five of our brave soldiers in Gaza. The people of America—of Texas—have profoundly lost their colleagues. We stand with the people of Texas and the people of America as the people of America stand with us. We send our condolences to the bereaved families.”
Before sitting down with Johnson, Netanyahu met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance. The prime minister also had meetings scheduled for later in the day with U.S. Senate leaders and other lawmakers.
