Could Khameini be the next Maduro?

Prime Minister Netanyahu called the US's actions "bold and decisive", while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar praised Trump for acting "as the leader of the free world".

Sa'ar also expressed hope that Israel and Venezuela could renew diplomatic ties following Maduro's removal from power, adding: "At this historic moment, Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro’s illegal tyranny.

"Israel welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror and hopes for the return of democracy to the country and for friendly relations between the states.

"The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs."

Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009 over the bloody three-week conflict between the IDF and Hamas starting in December 2008 – a decision made by Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chávez.

But some Israeli politicians have publicly drawn links to the Venezuelan operation and the protests unfolding in Iran.

At least 16 people have been killed during the demonstrations, sparked by a collapse in the currency and a groundswell of dissatisfaction with the Islamic regime, amid violent clashes with security forces.

Protestors chanted "death to the dictator" and "long live the Shah", referring to the country's pre-Islamic Revolution monarch.

Seemingly suggesting that supreme leader Khamenei could face a similar fate to Maduro, Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid posted on X on Saturday: "The regime in Iran should pay close attention to what is happening in Venezuela."

Likewise, Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli said: "[Maduro's capture] is not only good news for the people dwelling in Caracas; it is also a devastating blow to the global axis of evil and a clear message to Khamenei.

"President Trump’s decisive steps have once again proven that strong leadership is the only way to subdue dictators."

Like Venezuela, Iran sits on significant oil reserves and, it is the greatest regional threat to both Washington and Jerusalem. And, as in Caracas, pressure has been mounting against the dictatorship in Tehran for years.

Protests were brutally crushed in 2015, 2019 and 2022, but with Washington now demonstrating the will to resort to extreme measures to cut the head off the snake of antagonistic regimes, Middle East analysts expect fresh clashes with Iran soon.

Few experts would have predicted a brazen abduction before Saturday, but after the events that unfolded in Caracas, Khameini may do well to beef up his security team.