US Defense Secretary Meets Netanyahu Amid Reports of Iran Military Action Talks

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived in Israel on Monday evening for an unannounced visit, during which he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The meeting, reportedly held at the Ovda military base in southern Israel, occurred amid reports of U.S.-Israeli consultations regarding the potential resumption of military operations against Iran. Notably, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was not invited to this exceptional meeting, according to Israel's Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11).

The visit, detailed by Axios citing two sources familiar with the matter, involved discussions about possible joint military action against Tehran. The meeting, which lasted an unusually long time, took place at a base housing U.S. refueling aircraft and fighter jets. Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly traveled to the base by private plane, altering his original schedule which included attending a soccer match.

Axios previously reported that Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump had discussed the possibility of new joint military operations against Iran before the upcoming Israeli elections on October 27 and the U.S. midterm elections a week later. Netanyahu had conveyed Israeli intelligence concerns about Iran's steps to reactivate its nuclear program. While Trump encouraged Netanyahu to prepare, he did not commit to approving a new military operation.

Hegseth had announced his visit to U.S. military personnel in the U.S. Central Command area, which covers the Middle East. The visit coincides with the approaching Israeli elections, for which Trump has expressed support for Netanyahu. However, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated on Monday that he would not interfere in the Israeli elections, focusing instead on the U.S. elections.

Reuters could not independently verify the meeting, and immediate comments were not available from the Pentagon, the Israeli Embassy in Washington, or Netanyahu's office.