US Defense Secretary's Secret Israel Visit Focused on Iran Threat

U.S. Secretary of Defense the U.S. Secretary of Defense made a clandestine visit to Israel on Tuesday, arriving at Ovda base in southern Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. To avoid drawing attention, the U.S. Secretary of Defense traveled on a cargo plane rather than a government aircraft, according to reports. The meeting, which lasted about 90 minutes and concluded around 9 p.m., was a small-scale gathering of political leaders and did not include IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir or other senior military officials. Contrary to earlier reports, no representatives from the United Arab Emirates participated.

While the U.S. Secretary of Defense's official purpose was to meet American soldiers stationed in Israel, the primary focus of his talks with Israeli leadership was the Iranian threat. A security source told Channel 12 that a renewed campaign against Iran might be unavoidable in the future, but likely not before upcoming elections in Israel and the U.S. midterms. Israel is also preparing for the possibility that the Iranian regime might misinterpret regional developments and decide to launch an attack. Recent foreign reports indicated that Israeli fighter jets conducted drills over Iraq near the Iranian border, potentially as a deterrent message to Tehran. However, current intelligence does not suggest any Iranian intention to attack Israel in the near future or before the elections. In response to general concerns, Israel has raised its alert levels and imposed a travel ban for soldiers starting the weekend.