U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Israel on Monday for an unannounced meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a senior U.S. military official and an Israeli source, coming just days before Israel holds national elections.
The quiet discussions occurred as the White House considers whether to restart military strikes against Iran following the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Axios was first to disclose Hegseth’s visit, which was later confirmed by CBS News through officials speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not cleared to discuss the matter publicly. Israel’s Army Radio reported that the leaders convened at an air base located in the nation’s southern desert.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the trip. Hegseth published a post on X confirming he was visiting personnel within the U.S. Central Command region on Monday, sharing an image of himself speaking to service members who he said were carrying out a “historic mission.” He did not publicly mention Israel or his meeting with Netanyahu.
Election tensions and political stakes
The visit arrives during the final stretch of campaigning before Israel’s Oct. 27 parliamentary vote, the first since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister, faces a difficult challenge to preserve his governing coalition. Opinion surveys suggest his religious-nationalist bloc may fall short of a governing majority, facing competition from centrist opposition figures such as former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, Al Jazeera reported.
President Donald Trump voiced strong support for Netanyahu over the weekend, posting on Truth Social that the Israeli leader had his “Complete and Total Endorsement” and describing him as “a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
However, Vice President JD Vance struck a different tone on Monday, telling digital outlet 2WAY that he would not take sides in foreign contests. Vance said he focuses solely on American candidates during midterm races, adding, “I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.”
The shadow of conflict with Iran
The high-level talks also unfold amid persistent friction across the Middle East. American and Israeli forces carried out combined strikes on Iranian targets in late February, following earlier U.S. attacks on three Iranian nuclear installations in June 2025. Although direct military exchanges between Washington and Tehran have subsided in recent weeks, Trump has openly asserted that he is deciding whether to pursue a diplomatic agreement or completely “annihilate” the nation after the U.S. midterms conclude.
Netanyahu told Israeli broadcasters last week that his military would not initiate renewed attacks against Tehran prior to the election, stating that such action “is not convenient for us.”
In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated Tuesday that his government remains open to diplomatic channels despite past grievances with Washington, Iran International reported.
“If we do not use diplomacy, the people of Iran will say: ‘You hesitated and chose war,'” Baghaei said, while warning that Tehran “will absolutely not leave any attack unanswered.”
Whether Washington and Israel will coordinate further military steps against Tehran remains uncertain as both countries approach crucial elections in the coming weeks.
