Israel’s ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump on Sunday after visiting missile impact sites in central Tel Aviv. Trump praised by Israel after the area had been struck by Iranian ballistic missiles that evaded Israeli air defenses during recent escalations.
Herzog’s statement came just hours after the United States launched a coordinated military strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities. The Fordow site was hit with six bunker-busting bombs, while Natanz and Isfahan were targeted with dozens of Tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. submarines.
During his visit to the missile-struck neighborhoods, Herzog thanked Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their decisive response. “I commend and bless President Donald Trump. I commend and bless Prime Minister Netanyahu for their cooperation and for the incredible resolution and activity,” Herzog said. “I thank all those military men and women and all those agencies working 24/7 to remove an existential threat from the world and from the Middle East and from Israel.”
Iran’s missile barrage against Israel included more than two dozen ballistic missiles in two separate waves. Civilian areas in Tel Aviv and Haifa were hit, including what may have been an errant Israeli interceptor that landed within Haifa. So far, Iranian attacks have resulted in 24 civilian deaths, over 1,300 injuries, and displacement of 9,000 residents. A hospital in Be’er Sheva was among the targeted locations, where no fatalities were reported despite the direct hit.
In a show of solidarity and gratitude, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem following the attacks. The visit mirrored a similar stop made prior to Israel’s own strike against Iran on June 13. The wall, considered the holiest site in Judaism, served as the backdrop for Netanyahu’s prayers on behalf of Trump and the Israeli people.
