Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has publicly declared his support for Israel in the ongoing conflict with Iran, stating that the country has a right to exist and warning that attacks against it must stop.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, he said Uganda would stand with Israel and suggested that the Ugandan military could intervene if the war continues.
In a series of posts, Gen. Kainerugaba expressed concern over the escalating violence in the Middle East and called for an immediate end to hostilities. “We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it,” he wrote, adding, “On the side of Israel!”
He also warned that any discussion of destroying or defeating Israel would draw Uganda into the conflict.
Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba's post on X, (formely Twitter) on Thursday, March 26, 2026. PHOTO/Muhoozi Kainerugaba.In another post that was later deleted, the general claimed that the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) would join the war if it did not end soon, pledging that Ugandan forces would fight alongside Israel. He reiterated, “Israel has a right to exist and attacks against her must stop.”
Gen. Kainerugaba also claimed to have offered the support of Ugandan forces to both the United States and Israel, asserting that the UPDF could capture Iran’s capital in a short time without the need for bombing.
“We could have captured Tehran in 72 hours without any bombing,” he wrote, adding, “but of course they never listen to a black man. Why bomb people who support you?”
The comments come amid a growing relationship between Uganda and Israel, marked by military and historical ties.
Gen. Kainerugaba recently announced plans to erect a statue honouring Lt.-Col. Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu at Entebbe International Airport, at the exact location where Netanyahu was killed during the 1976 rescue operation following the hijacking of an Air France flight.
According to the Ugandan military chief, the monument would symbolize the bond between the two nations, although no formal government announcement has been made.
The connection between Israel and Uganda dates back to the Entebbe raid, known as Operation Jonathan, when Israeli commandos carried out a daring mission to rescue about 100 hostages from hijackers at Entebbe Airport.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Entebbe in 2016 to mark the fortieth anniversary of the operation, reflecting on the evolution of relations between the two countries.
“Forty years ago, they landed in the dead of night in a country led by a brutal dictator who gave refuge to terrorists. Today we landed in broad daylight in a friendly country led by a president who fights terrorists,” he said during the ceremony.
Gen. Kainerugaba’s statements have drawn attention for their direct military language and the implication that Uganda could take active steps in the conflict. While the posts were made on social media and not through official government channels, they underline Uganda’s increasingly warm ties with Israel and highlight the historical military connection dating back to the 1970s.
It is not yet clear if Gen. Kainerugaba’s remarks reflect Uganda’s official foreign policy, but they place the country among those openly showing strong support for Israel as international concern grows over the ongoing war in the Middle East.
