Israel’s opposition leader urged Iran’s leaders to “pay close attention to what is happening in Venezuela” in what appeared to be a threat of violent regime change.

Yair Lapid made the comment in a brief post on X after the United States launched strikes on Venezuela and said it had captured President Nicolas Maduro.

His remarks came as officials and politicians around the world condemned the US operation in the oil-rich South American country as a violation of international law.

Iran, an ally of Venezuela, was among the first states to condemn the US for “the flagrant violation of [Venezuela’s] national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.