During an unannounced visit on Oct. 19, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Uvda Air Force Base and discussed Iran and broader security cooperation as regional tensions rise ahead of Israel’s election.
Three Israeli officials told Reuters that Iran was discussed. Netanyahu spokesperson Doron Spielman confirmed the meeting. Spielman said the two leaders discussed regional threats and U.S.-Israeli cooperation in responding to them.
Spielman also said Hegseth thanked Israel for hosting thousands of U.S. troops. Spielman said Hegseth discussed President Donald Trump’s support for Netanyahu. The Pentagon has not commented publicly.
Hegseth confirmed that he visited U.S. service members in the Central Command region. He did not identify Israel as his location. The trip took place eight days before Israel’s Oct. 27 parliamentary election.
It came a day after Trump endorsed Netanyahu. The trip also took place amid tensions involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. It came amid attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on Saudi Arabia.
Axios reported that Washington and Jerusalem had been discussing a possible restart of major military operations against Iran. Neither government announced a decision linked to the meeting. The leaders’ full agenda and any commitments they made have not been disclosed.