The US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, made an unannounced visit to Israel, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit comes just over a week before Netanyahu's party faces elections.
What happened
According to a senior US military official, Hegseth met with Netanyahu, and a second source in Israel confirmed the meeting. Hegseth stated that he visited Israel to see US troops and had a chance to talk to the prime minister, but did not disclose the nature of their conversations.
The visit follows President Trump's suggestion of resuming military operations against Iran after the US midterm elections. Israel and the US have a history of joint strikes against Iran, with the most recent ones occurring in late February and June 2025.
Netanyahu is facing political uncertainty, with his right-wing Likud party seeking to remain in power amidst challenges from more centrist parties. Despite this, Netanyahu has stated that he is not planning to launch renewed strikes against Iran before the October 27 elections, citing that it is not convenient for Israel.
President Trump has endorsed Netanyahu, calling him a great partner in combating Iran. The US president has maintained a close relationship with Netanyahu, although he has also urged Israel to ease up on striking Lebanon and to address settler violence in the West Bank.
