Netanyahu Meets U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth in Southern Israel

According to Axios sources cited by multiple outlets, the visit took place on Monday and lasted more than two hours. Hegseth also met with U.S. troops stationed at the base, which hosts refueling aircraft and fighter jets. The reports say Defense Minister Israel Katz also attended the meeting, and some said other foreign officials were present.

The visit was not publicly announced by the Pentagon. The Pentagon, the Israeli Embassy in Washington and Netanyahu’s office declined to comment or did not immediately respond. Hegseth later posted images from a visit with U.S. Central Command troops but did not mention Netanyahu.

Several reports linked the trip to U.S.-Israel discussions on Iran, and some said it followed President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu ahead of the vote. Netanyahu also appeared at the air base and issued a warning to Israel’s enemies, saying they would suffer harder blows if they tested Israel.