Hegseth meets Netanyahu during unannounced Israel visit amid Iran strike discussions
publishers 89articles 171first reported 27 Sep, 21:21 UTCdeveloping since 28 Sep · 34 editions
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Air Base, according to Axios and Ynet. The meeting came eight days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election and amid reports of U.S.-Israeli discussions about renewed military action against Iran.
Neither government disclosed details of the meeting. The Pentagon and Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment, Ynet reported, while Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond. Hegseth later said on X that he had met U.S. troops in the region covered by Central Command but did not publicly confirm the Israel visit or his meeting with Netanyahu. U.S. refueling aircraft and fighter jets are stationed at Ovda, where Hegseth also met American personnel.
Axios previously reported that Netanyahu and President Donald Trump had discussed a possible joint operation against Iranian nuclear facilities and military sites. According to Ynet’s account of that report, Netanyahu cited Israeli intelligence indicating Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program. Trump encouraged Israel to prepare but had not committed to an attack, a U.S. official said.
The National reported Wednesday that Netanyahu was pressing for major new strikes and viewed toppling Iran’s government as a key objective. Netanyahu separately said Israel was committed to eliminating what he called the “terrorist regime in Iran,” according to The Times of Israel. Most Trump advisers currently favor economic and diplomatic pressure over another large-scale attack, Ynet reported.
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Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 492 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 5 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 492 h after the record first saw the story
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- kept as written
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