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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid discussions of a potential new Iran offensive. The meeting took place just eight days before Israel’s parliamentary elections and roughly two weeks before America’s midterms.
What happened
The unannounced visit occurred at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel, where American fighter jets and aerial refueling aircraft are deployed. Hegseth met Netanyahu as President Donald Trump weighs another major military operation against Iran. The Pentagon referred to a recent post showing Hegseth visiting American troops at Ovda Air Base.
A senior military official familiar with the situation suggested American operations against Iran could soon intensify, stating “Things are about to get spicy.” The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The meeting raises questions about the enormous American military resources already expended defending Israel, including the use of interceptors and the depletion of missile interceptor inventories.
The conflict has also severely depleted America’s missile interceptor inventories, with US Patriot stocks falling below 1,000 missiles and THAAD inventories standing at approximately 250 interceptors. Replenishing those stockpiles could take years, potentially weakening American readiness for a confrontation with China in the Pacific.
