Pete Hegseth reportedly met Netanyahu privately ahead of Israeli elections.
Trump endorsed Netanyahu as polls suggest his coalition could lose power.
US-Israel tensions with Iran remain central to regional security.
Defence Secretary of the United States, Pete Hegseth, has quietly met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday ahead of elections in Israel.
The unannounced visit took place just 8 days before Netanyahu’s party is set to face elections. It also followed President Trump’s suggestion that the US could restart military operations against Iran after next month’s midterm elections.
CBS News reported that Hegseth visited Israel and met with Netanyahu on Monday. In a post on X, Hegseth confirmed that he was in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility on Monday.
He also shared a photo of himself speaking to American service members, describing them as being “on a historic mission.” However, he did not reveal where he was or make any mention of Israel.
Trump’s Endorsement Of Netanyahu In Elections
Reports of the visit emerged a day after Donald Trump publicly backed Netanyahu ahead of next week’s parliamentary election. The vote will be Israel’s first since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in 2023 and Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Trump praised Netanyahu for standing alongside the United States in its war against Iran, declaring his “Complete and Total Endorsement” of the Israeli prime minister.
“BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Opinion polls suggest Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition could lose its majority in parliament. However, opposition parties may also face difficulties in securing enough support to form a government, according to Al Jazeera.
Israel-US attacks On Iran
Israel and the United States carried out joint strikes on Iran in late February, working closely together in the early stages of the war, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in soaring oil prices across the globe.
Earlier, in June 2025, the US attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities during a wider conflict between Israel and Iran.
Iran and the United States have mostly avoided direct attacks on each other in recent weeks. However, Trump has said he is considering whether to reach an agreement with Iran’s leadership or “annihilate” the country, adding that he may make the decision after the November midterm elections.
