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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday at an air base hosting American refueling planes and fighter jets, with representatives of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also present, according to multiple reports.
The meeting at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel came eight days before Israel’s Oct. 27 election, and amid U.S.-Israeli discussions about potentially resuming major combat operations against Iran, Axios reported, citing two sources.
"A number of issues were discussed, including Iran," a person briefed on the talks told Israel’s Channel 13.
The secret visit, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu, signals close U.S.-Israeli military coordination as both leaders weigh renewed strikes on Iran, with the presence of Emirati officials pointing to a wider regional dimension.
"As always, it has been an honor to visit our fighters at CENTCOM today. The best of our country, on a historic mission," Hegseth wrote on X, sharing photos with U.S. troops without naming Israel.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Adviser Shmuel Ezra also attended, Axios reported.
Netanyahu flew to the base from Ben Gurion Airport and canceled a planned visit to a match at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium, Channel 14 reported. The military censor initially barred Israeli media from reporting the meeting until Axios published it, the channel said.
Netanyahu recently released a video from an air force base.
"I spoke with the base commander, I was impressed by the readiness, the determination and the ability to strike our enemies the moment it is required," he said.
"I say to our enemies: Don’t test us, you will absorb harder blows than you have absorbed until today. And we all know what tremendous achievements we had, thanks to our daring pilots and our ground crews, the Israel Defense Forces and the Government of Israel. We are determined to defend ourselves. Don’t test us," Netanyahu said.
Responding to Trump’s endorsement, Netanyahu said: "He said we did wonderful things together, we crushed Iran, we crushed the Iranian axis, we removed the immediate threat of nuclear bombs. But there is still a mission to complete. He said he will complete the mission, only with your humble servant. He can’t do it with someone else."
Netanyahu said last week he was not planning renewed strikes on Iran before the election, saying "it is not convenient for us."
U.S. Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu.
"The president has the most effective endorsement in American or international political history. I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on in the midterms, so I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections," Vance told 2WAY.
"I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him," he said.
Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized Trump’s endorsement.
"Trump just endorsed Netanyahu. No surprise. One authoritarian helping another stay in power," he wrote on X.
"More war. More destruction. More genocide. We must end the Republican rubber-stamp Congress. We must stop all military aid to Israel," Sanders added.
The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington later imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The U.S. and Iran subsequently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June concerning freedom of navigation in the strait, but implementation stalled over disagreements related to security in the strategic waterway.
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