Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quietly traveled to Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a senior U.S. military official who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
A second source involved in the matter in Israel confirmed Tuesday morning that Netanyahu had met with Hegseth.
The unannounced visit came just over a week before elections for Netanyahu’s party. This also comes after President Trump launched the resumption of military operations against Iran following the US mid-term elections next month.
Hegseth confirmed the visit in comments to reporters Tuesday, saying he “was there to visit our troops” and “had the opportunity to speak to the prime minister.”
“Of course, I wouldn’t talk about the nature of our conversations, but they’ve been good partners and I appreciate that,” Hegseth said.
The Pentagon declined to comment on the visit. CBS News has reached out to the Israeli government for comment.
Axios was the first to report Hegseth’s visit.
Israeli and U.S. forces jointly launched strikes against Iran in late February, and the two allies worked closely together early in the war. The United States too struck three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 during a broader conflict between Israel and Iran.
Iran and the United States have largely refrained from striking each other in recent weeks, but Mr. Trump has said openly that he is still debating whether to strike a deal with Iranian leaders or “wipe out” the country – a the decision, he said, could come after the November midterm elections.
Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, faces his own political uncertainty starting Tuesday. The coalition led by his right-wing Likud party seeks to stay in power, but it faces several centrist opponents, including a party led by former Israeli army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.
Netanyahu told Israeli media last week that he did not plan to launch further strikes against Iran before the Oct. 27 election, saying “this does not suit us.”
Mr. Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday, calling him “a great warrior prime minister and an even greater peace partner in the fight against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The US president maintains close relations with Netanyahu, although he has sometimes put pressure on Israel. In the spring and summer, the Trump administration urged Israel to slow its strikes on Lebanon, home to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
The administration also encouraged Israel to suppress settler violence in the West Bank and reach a longer-term agreement with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Last month, Trump envoy Jared Kushner suggested The upcoming Israeli elections may have set back progress in Gaza, telling a conference in kyiv: “They just have crazy elections, and that makes them a little irrational in some ways.” »
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