Netanyahu Congratulates Trump on Killing of Islamic State Leader: ‘An Important Milestone’

Benjamin Kerstein

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Likud party headquarters following the announcement of exit polls during Israel’s parliamentary election in Tel Aviv, Israel, September 18, 2019. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump on Sunday after the US president announced the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a US special forces raid.

“I want to congratulate President Trump on the impressive achievement, an operation that led to the death of the [IS] leader al-Baghdadi,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“This reflects the united resolve of the free countries led by the United States to fight the forces of terror, the terror organizations, and the terrorist states,” the prime minister added.

Netanyahu concluded, “This is an important milestone, but it’s part of a longer battle which we must win.”

Trump announced Baghdadi’s death at a White House press conference, saying, “The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent his last moments in utter fear, panic, and dread, terrified of the American forces coming down on him.”

The IS leader, said Trump, blew himself up while attempting to escape US soldiers through a tunnel.

“He reached the end of the tunnel as our dogs chased him down. He ignited his vest, killing himself and his three children,” Trump said. “His body was mutilated by the blasts. The tunnel had caved on him.”