Ron DeSantis made one heroic move that has Jewish Americans praising him to the sky

The Israel-Iran conflict has put American lives in serious danger.

But while the federal government fumbled the response, one governor stepped up to save the day.

And Ron DeSantis made one heroic move that has Jewish Americans praising him to the sky.

DeSantis launches massive rescue operation as violence escalates

As violence exploded across Israel during its escalating conflict with Iran, 1,500 American citizens found themselves trapped with no way home.

Israeli airspace had been completely shut down as Iranian bombs rained down on the Holy Land.

These Americans – mostly young Jewish adults participating in the Birthright Israel program – were stranded in a war zone with nowhere to turn.

The Birthright Israel program provides educational trips to the Holy Land for young Americans of Jewish descent, helping them connect with their heritage and history.

But what should have been a life-changing spiritual journey quickly turned into a nightmare as missiles and bombs began falling around them.

With commercial flights canceled and airports closed, these young Americans were counting on their government to bring them home safely.

Instead, they got bureaucratic delays and empty promises from Washington, D.C.

That’s when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stepped in to do what the federal government couldn’t – or wouldn’t – do.

Florida fills the void left by federal government gaps

DeSantis immediately mobilized the Florida Department of Emergency Management and dispatched four wide-body aircraft to launch a massive evacuation operation.

The governor coordinated with Israeli authorities to get the stranded Americans to safety using a complex sea-and-air operation.

The Mano Maritime cruise ship Crown Iris picked up all 1,500 evacuees from the port of Ashdod, Israel, and made a dangerous 13-hour journey across the Mediterranean Sea to Lanarca, Cyprus.

The ship traveled under the protection of the Israeli navy as the region remained under active bombardment.

“It was a complex and emotional operation, carried out under immense pressure, and we are proud to have brought 1,500 young adults safely to Cyprus,” Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark said.

Once the Americans reached the relative safety of Cyprus, DeSantis’s four Florida emergency aircraft were scheduled to complete the final leg of their journey home.

However, according to travelers on the ground, only one of the planned flights had arrived as of Thursday morning, with evacuation efforts still ongoing.

This isn’t DeSantis’s first heroic rescue mission

DeSantis has made it clear that Florida will step up when the federal government fails to protect American citizens abroad.

This latest evacuation mirrors a similar operation DeSantis launched in 2023 after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.

When the Biden administration’s State Department and embassy in Israel proved “not helpful” to stranded Americans, DeSantis once again dispatched Florida aircraft to bring citizens home.

“It was sad because the State Department and the embassy over in Israel were not helpful to these people,” DeSantis told Fox News at the time.

The governor pointed out the twisted priorities of the Biden administration when it came to who deserved government assistance.

“If you think about it, illegal aliens come across our southern border and the federal government will fly them all over the country for free,” DeSantis explained, referring to Biden’s controversial “ghost flights” that secretly transported migrants to cities like Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and White Plains, New York.

In that 2023 operation, DeSantis successfully evacuated at least 300 Americans from Tel Aviv.

He and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis personally greeted the evacuees when they arrived safely at Tampa International Airport.

Florida lawmaker joins boots-on-the-ground rescue efforts

The Sunshine State’s commitment to protecting Jewish Americans goes beyond just the governor’s office.

State Senator Jay Collins, a Republican and retired Green Beret, left his duties in Hillsborough County to travel directly to Israel as part of evacuation efforts.

Collins, who is considered a potential pick for lieutenant governor in 2026, worked with the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation to help get thousands more Americans home safely.

His willingness to put himself in harm’s way to rescue fellow Americans shows the kind of leadership that Florida voters have come to expect from their elected officials.

“We’re looking to help evacuation efforts,” Collins told the Floridian Press about his mission to the war zone.

This type of hands-on, results-oriented approach stands in stark contrast to the endless bureaucratic delays coming out of Washington, D.C.

Florida’s large Jewish community demands real leadership

DeSantis’s quick action isn’t just good policy – it’s also smart politics for a state with deep ties to the Jewish community.

Florida has the third-largest Jewish population in America, behind only New York and California, with an estimated 650,000 Jewish residents.

Major Jewish communities in Miami Beach, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale have been watching closely as violence escalates in the Middle East.

These Floridians want to know that their governor will fight for their families and their heritage when crisis strikes.

DeSantis has proven time and again that he won’t abandon Jewish Americans when they need help the most.

While other politicians offer empty statements and meaningless condemnations, DeSantis mobilizes aircraft and saves lives.

Real leadership means taking action when it matters

The contrast between DeSantis’s decisive action and the federal government’s response couldn’t be clearer.

When Americans are trapped in a war zone, they need rescue flights – not press conferences.

When missiles are falling and airports are closed, they need someone who will move heaven and earth to bring them home safely.

DeSantis has repeatedly shown that Florida will “fill the void” when Washington, D.C. fails to protect American citizens.

His willingness to use state resources to save lives puts him in sharp contrast to career politicians who are all talk and no action.

The 1,500 Jewish Americans who made it home safely to Tampa this week are living proof that real leadership still exists in America.

Governor sets the gold standard for crisis response

DeSantis’s evacuation operations have set a new standard for how state governments should respond when the federal government fails.

Instead of waiting for permission from Washington, D.C. bureaucrats, DeSantis took immediate action to protect Florida residents and American citizens.

His coordination with Israeli authorities, maritime companies, and emergency management teams shows the kind of competent leadership that gets results.

While other governors would have passed the buck to federal agencies, DeSantis took responsibility and got the job done.

The families of those 1,500 evacuees will never forget that Florida was there for them when it mattered most.

And Jewish Americans across the country are taking notice that there’s at least one governor who will fight for them when crisis strikes.