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.
Gallery
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit to Washington
(Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The unusually lengthy meeting took place at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel, with Netanyahu making the unusual decision to travel there by private plane rather than helicopter. The prime minister's motorcade first traveled to Ben Gurion Airport, where he boarded a flight to the base. The meeting also explains why Netanyahu did not attend the soccer match between Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv, as originally planned.
American refueling aircraft and fighter jets are stationed at Ovda Air Base, where Hegseth also met with U.S. troops. 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.
Hegseth initially referred to his Middle East visit in a post on X, saying he had met with American troops in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, without confirming that he had visited Israel or met with Netanyahu.
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.
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.
US President Donald Trump
(Photo: AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Hegseth's visit also came a day after Trump formally endorsed Netanyahu ahead of the Knesset elections. In a post on his Truth Social platform Sunday, the U.S. president described Netanyahu as a "great wartime prime minister" and praised their cooperation during the military campaign against Iran.
Trump also linked Netanyahu's continued leadership to any future confrontation with Tehran, warning that if Israel elected another leader, the United States might have to act against Iran alone, a scenario he said he did not want. He added that Washington and Jerusalem would "finish the job" against Iran soon if Tehran failed to change course. Netanyahu thanked Trump for the endorsement, declaring: "Together, we will complete the mission."
Unlike Trump, however, Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu. In an interview with 2WAY overnight, Vance said: "I support American candidates, and that's what I'm focused on right now, the midterm elections." He added: "I'm not against endorsing him, but I'm also not for endorsing him. I don't interfere in Israeli elections."
Vance's position contrasts with his involvement in Hungary's elections earlier this year, when he publicly supported former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and traveled to Budapest to demonstrate the Trump administration's backing. Orbán ultimately lost the election.
IDF orders unprecedented leave suspension ahead of elections
Against the backdrop of tensions with Iran, the IDF announced a series of unusual measures Monday to raise military readiness ahead of next Tuesday's Knesset elections. Following a comprehensive assessment of threats across multiple fronts led by Zamir, the military decided to suspend leave across all units beginning Thursday. The assessment included the heads of the Operations and Military Intelligence directorates and senior regional commanders.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir
(Photo: IDF)
Zamir stressed that the military's mission was to ensure that the elections take place as scheduled and safely, adding that the IDF remains on its highest level of alert across all fronts.
Alongside the leave suspension, the IDF ordered an increased presence of senior commanders in operations rooms and headquarters, as well as additional troops in the West Bank, partly in response to heightened security tensions and a surge in politically motivated violence by Israeli extremists.
The military emphasized, however, that it had no specific intelligence indicating an imminent Iranian attack in the coming days and said its forces were prepared for a range of defensive and offensive scenarios.
Around the same time as the IDF announcement, Netanyahu released a video from an Israeli Air Force base warning Israel's enemies against launching attacks. "We have the readiness, determination and ability to strike our enemies whenever necessary," the prime minister said. He added: "Israel's enemies will suffer even heavier blows than those they have suffered so far."
Hegseth confirmed Tuesday that he had visited U.S. troops in Israel and met with Netanyahu but declined to disclose details of their conversation.
“I was there visiting our troops, [and] had a chance to talk to the prime minister,” Hegseth told reporters. “Of course, the nature of our conversation is not something I would talk about, but they've been good partners, and I appreciate that.”
First published: 02:03, 10.20.26