US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday. The meeting took place at the Ovda Air Base in the south of the country, where US aerial refueling planes and fighter jets are stationed, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the visit. Hegseth also spoke with US service members at the base.
No details were released about the agenda or the outcome of the meeting. The information comes amid discussions between the US and Israel about a possible resumption of large-scale military operations against Iran. It has not yet been confirmed whether the possibility of a new strike was a specific topic of conversation between Hegseth and Netanyahu.
The Pentagon and the Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for information. Netanyahu's office also did not immediately respond to a request for information.
Meeting before the Israeli elections
The visit takes place eight days before the parliamentary elections in Israel, scheduled for October 27. A day earlier, US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu for a new term. The Israeli prime minister's ruling religious-nationalist coalition faces the risk of losing its majority, while the opposition may also face difficulties in forming a government, according to polls cited by Reuters.
Netanyahu said on October 14 that he does not support a preemptive strike against Iran before the elections. "This is not convenient for us, it is not good," he said in an interview with Israeli Army Radio. The prime minister also warned that Israel would respond strongly if attacked.
It is unclear whether Hegseth's unannounced visit will lead to a change in American or Israeli military policy. Only the visit, the meeting with Netanyahu and the talks in Ovda have been publicly confirmed; the content of the talks remains undisclosed.
Sources: axios.com, investing.com