Ugandan Army Chief says the country would support Israel if threatened in Iran conflict

Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said his country would support Israel if it faced destruction, in a series of social media posts that underline Kampala’s increasingly vocal stance on the escalating Middle East conflict.

“We want the war in the Middle East to end now. The world is tired of it. But any talk of destroying or defeating Israel will bring us into the war. On the side of Israel!” Kainerugaba wrote on X. 

In subsequent posts, the Ugandan military chief warned that any missile attack from Iran would trigger retaliation, adding that Uganda stood ready to assist Israel if requested.

“If Tehran dares hit us with missiles. We shall retaliate with our own missiles,” said Muhoozi.

“If Israel needs help, it only need ask. Their Ugandan brothers are ready to assist.”

The remarks come as tensions between Israel, United States and Iran intensify, with ongoing exchanges involving regional armed groups raising fears of a wider war. Ugandan Travel Guide

Kainerugaba also stated that “Israel has a right to exist and attacks against her must stop,” reinforcing his strong pro-Israel position. 

Kainerugaba, often seen as a key player in Uganda’s security circles and the son of President Museveni, has long expressed admiration for Israel and its leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.

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Earlier this year, he revealed plans for Uganda to build a statue honoring Yonatan Netanyahu, the Israeli commando who was killed during the 1976 Entebbe rescue mission—a event that has always been a symbol of the strong bond between Uganda and Israel.

His recent remarks highlight Uganda’s general tendency to side with Western-supported views on Israel’s security matters, though the country hasn’t officially confirmed any military moves connected to the Middle East conflict.

Kainerugaba is known for being quite vocal and sometimes controversial on social media, which has occasionally caused diplomatic friction in the region.

Uganda’s cooperative relationship with Israel, especially in security and intelligence work, goes back many years. This has continued even as the country carefully balances its ties with other global powers.

The Ugandan government did not immediately issue an official statement.

Back in 1903, there was a plan called the British Uganda Programme that suggested Uganda could be a homeland for Jewish people.

Later, under the leadership of Milton Obote, Uganda partnered with Israel to back rebels in Southern Sudan during their lengthy conflict with the north. At one point, Obote actually considered making peace with the government in Khartoum and decided to stop supporting the rebels. But when Idi Amin took over from Obote in 1971, he not only started helping the rebels again but also kept the military ties with Israel going strong. 

In 1971, Amin even paid a visit to Israel and received a warm toast from Israel's Defence Minister, Moshe Dayan. The Israelis were quite involved, handling the supply and training for a lot of the Ugandan Army, as well as managing several construction projects throughout the country.