Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he spoke with US President Donald Trump following the rescue of a downed American air crewman from Iranian territory, and said Israel was “deeply proud” to have played a role in bringing the officer home.
In a statement posted early Monday, Netanyahu said he had personally congratulated Trump on what he described as a bold decision and a flawlessly executed American rescue mission deep inside enemy territory.
New details reveal that Israel played a role in the complex operation, for which Netanyahu said Trump expressed appreciation. The prime minister added that cooperation between Jerusalem and Washington, “on and off the battlefield,” is now without precedent.
The exchange followed Trump’s announcement shortly after midnight Sunday that US forces had recovered what he called a “highly respected colonel” from behind enemy lines in Iran. Trump described the mission as one of the most daring search-and-rescue operations in American history, saying the officer had been trapped in the mountainous terrain of Iran while enemy forces closed in.
Netanyahu had already signaled the importance of the moment on Sunday, releasing an English-language video praising the operation and framing it in terms Israelis understand instinctively: the moral seriousness of rescue under fire.
I congratulate @realDonaldTrump on the rescue of a brave American pilot by America’s courageous warriors.
All Israelis rejoice in this remarkable operation. It proves that when free societies act with courage and determination, they can overcome the forces of darkness and… pic.twitter.com/hgBLFWjYzE
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 5, 2026
According to sources cited in several Israeli media outlets, the 48-hour operation relied in no small part on Israeli intelligence and tactical support.
The Iranians were desperate to get to the down American first, and with their forces closing in, sources told The Jerusalem Post that the IDF launches a series of diversionary strikes in other areas of Iran. Israeli warplanes also targeted Iranian military assets involved in the search for the American airman, hindering their efforts and buying the US military extraction team precious time to carry out its mission.
The sources said Israeli intelligence also played a role, without getting into specifics.
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