Israeli PM Netanyahu undergoes major surgery after UTI diagnosis

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent successful prostate removal surgery Sunday, a week after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection. 

Netanyahu, 75, went under the knife at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, with the operation taking place as the premier manages war with Iran’s terror proxies and faces his own corruption trial. 

The surgery took about two hours as doctors tackled “a benign enlargement of his prostate,” Israeli officials said.

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital officials said the procedure generally takes several days to recover from. 

Netanyahu, however, was expected to have little time to rest — the Jewish state is still engaged in the fight with Iran’s terror proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Over the last few days, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has ramped up airstrikes in Yemen, targeting the Houthi rebel group operating at the Sana’a International Airport. 

The IDF said the attacks were in direct response to the Houthis recent attacks on Israel and continued assault on military and shipping vessels along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. 

“The Houthi terrorist regime has repeatedly attacked the State of Israel and its citizens, including in UAV and surface-to-surface missile attacks on Israeli territory,” the IDF said in a statement. 

“The targets that were struck by the IDF include military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities in both the Sana’a International Airport and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations. In addition, the IDF struck military infrastructure in the Al-Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports on the western coast.”

Along with the war effort, Netanyahu is also facing personal issues as he testifies in a corruption case that began in 2020. 

Netanyahu has been accused of exchanging regulatory favors for positive press coverage in under-the-table dealings with media moguls.

About 140 witnesses have taken the stand in the trial so far, with about 300 expected to speak before the court. 

Prior to his surgery, Netanyahu had testified before the court to deny the allegations levied against him. 

He is expected to remain on the stand for several weeks as the trial goes on.

With Post wires