US Defense Official Pete Hegseth Secretly Met Netanyahu Amid Iran Tensions

U.S. military minister Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on October 19, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting, reported by Axios citing two sources, took place at the Ovda airbase in southern Israel, which hosts U.S. refueling and fighter aircraft. Hegseth also met with American military personnel stationed there. The visit occurred just eight days before Israeli Knesset elections and amid reports of potential renewed large-scale military action against Iran.

Netanyahu reportedly traveled to Ovda by private jet, departing from Ben Gurion Airport, which caused him to miss a planned soccer match. Also present at the Ovda meeting were Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra. Foreign representatives, possibly from the UAE, also attended. Neither the Pentagon nor the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. commented on the visit, and Netanyahu's office provided no statement. Details of the meeting's content, including discussions about a potential joint strike on Iran, were not released.

Hegseth briefly mentioned his Middle East trip on social media platform X, noting meetings with U.S. troops under CENTCOM's responsibility, but did not publicly confirm his presence in Israel or the meeting with Netanyahu. Recent media reports have extensively discussed the possibility of renewed military action against Iran. Axios previously reported that Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump had spoken multiple times about a joint military operation before the upcoming elections in Israel and the U.S. midterms.

According to the report, Netanyahu had expressed concerns to Trump about Israeli intelligence regarding Iran's nuclear program. An American source stated that Trump encouraged Netanyahu to prepare but clarified it did not signify a commitment to strike. The report also noted Hegseth and senior CENTCOM officers as strong proponents of striking Iran, while most of Trump's advisors favored continued economic and political pressure. Trump was reportedly initially inclined to support Israel's proposal but later became more hesitant.

The White House denied reports of Trump and Netanyahu discussing renewed military action, asserting the U.S. would not strike Iran before the midterms. However, earlier in October, media reported that the Pentagon had ordered CENTCOM to finalize preparations for potential large-scale military action against Iran, without a specific date. The White House explained that the President had not yet made a final decision.

Amidst the tensions with Iran, the IDF announced on October 19 a heightened alert status ahead of the October 27 Knesset elections, canceling all leaves and increasing readiness. The IDF stated there was no specific intelligence indicating an imminent Iranian attack but confirmed readiness for various defensive and offensive scenarios. Around the same time, Netanyahu posted a video from an airbase, stating, "We have the readiness, the determination, and the ability to strike our enemies at the time when it is needed."