U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Axios reported Monday night, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
The visit comes just eight days before Israel's Knesset elections, against the backdrop of discussions between the United States and Israel over the possibility of resuming large-scale military operations against Iran.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit to Washington
(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
According to the report, the Pentagon and the Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the visit, while the Prime Minister's Office did not immediately respond. No details of the meeting between Hegseth and Netanyahu have been released, and it remains unclear whether the possibility of another strike on Iran was discussed.
The visit comes amid reports in recent days that the United States and Israel are preparing for the possibility of renewed military operations against the Islamic Republic. Last week, Axios reported that Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump had spoken several times about the possibility of launching another joint military operation against Iran, even before Israel's October 27 elections and the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for a week later.
According to that report, Netanyahu expressed concern to Trump over Israeli intelligence indicating that Iran was taking steps to rebuild its nuclear program. The two discussed a possible joint operation targeting nuclear facilities and military sites in Iran, but Trump has yet to commit to authorizing such an operation. A U.S. official said the president encouraged Netanyahu to prepare but stressed that this did not constitute a commitment to carry out an attack.
The report also said Hegseth and senior officials at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) were among the strongest supporters of renewed strikes on Iran. Most of Trump's advisers, however, currently favor continuing economic and diplomatic pressure on Tehran rather than launching another round of large-scale attacks.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
(Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)
According to the same report, Trump initially leaned toward supporting the Israeli proposal but later became more hesitant. The White House denied the report that Trump and Netanyahu had discussed resuming the war, emphasizing that the president had made clear the United States would not attack Iran before the U.S. midterm elections.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Pentagon reportedly ordered CENTCOM to complete preparations for the possible resumption of large-scale military operations against Iran. The directive did not specify a date for an attack, and administration officials stressed that the president had not made a final decision.
The possibility of another strike has also raised questions about its potential impact on Israel's elections. Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir spoke with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the possibility of renewed large-scale fighting against Iran within three weeks. Zamir noted that such an operation could lead to the postponement of Israel's elections, as Iran would be expected to retaliate by launching missiles at Israel.