developing· Security· Updated 11:05

Netanyahu Held Secret Meeting With US Defense Secretary Amid Regional Security Concerns

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret, unusually long meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday evening at the Ovda Air Force base in southern Israel. The meeting took place amid ongoing discussions between Israel and the United States regarding the potential resumption of extensive military action against Iran, following a joint military campaign earlier in the year.

5 newsrooms · 4 languages · since 06:51

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Netanyahu Held Secret Meeting With US Defense Secretary Amid Regional Security Concerns — Illustration by baba

What happened

01Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met secretly with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday evening at Ovda Air Force base.
02The meeting occurred amid U.S. and Israeli discussions about potentially resuming extensive military operations against Iran.
03Defense Minister Israel Katz, senior officials, and representatives from the United Arab Emirates and other Arab nations also participated.
04Netanyahu traveled to the southern airbase from Ben Gurion Airport by private jet instead of his usual helicopter.
05The secret visit took place eight days before the October 27 Knesset elections and one day after President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu.
06U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also met with U.S. troops stationed at the Ovda base under CENTCOM.
07Following the exceptionally long meeting, Netanyahu canceled his planned attendance at a Beitar Jerusalem soccer match.
08Both the Prime Minister's Office and the Pentagon declined to comment on the details of the meeting.

Netanyahu traveled from Ben Gurion Airport to the base in the Negev via private jet, rather than his usual helicopter transport. The meeting was also attended by Defense Minister Israel Katz, senior officials, and representatives from the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf and Arab nations, whose visits were kept confidential. The Ovda base hosts U.S. Air Force refueling and fighter aircraft, and Hegseth also met with U.S. soldiers stationed there under CENTCOM.

The clandestine meeting occurred eight days before the October 27 Knesset elections and one day after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu. Following the meeting, Netanyahu canceled his planned attendance at a Beitar Jerusalem soccer game. Both the Prime Minister's Office and the Pentagon declined to comment on the meeting.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 5 newsrooms. Updated 11:32

Latest report: Alarab. Read Alarab’s original