US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an air base in southern Israel on Monday during an unannounced visit as Washington and Jerusalem consider renewed military action against Iran, according to officials and reports.

The meeting took place at Ovda Air Base, where American fighter jets and refueling aircraft are stationed. Axios first reported the visit, citing two people familiar with it. A US military official subsequently confirmed the meeting to CBS News.

The substance of their discussions was not disclosed. Israel’s Army Radio reported that representatives of the United Arab Emirates also attended, but their presence has not been independently confirmed.

Ynet reported that Netanyahu flew from Ben Gurion Airport to Ovda aboard a private jet and that the meeting lasted unusually long.

Hegseth also met American personnel at the base, according to Axios. He posted photographs of himself addressing troops assigned to US Central Command, which oversees operations across the Middle East, but did not identify his location.

He wrote: “The best of our country, on a historic mission. Godspeed.”

The Pentagon declined to comment, while Netanyahu’s office did not immediately provide details about the meeting.

The visit follows joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February that triggered a wider regional conflict. Tensions remain high over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces on Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu said last week that he was not planning fresh strikes against Iran before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election. President Trump has also indicated that he does not intend to resume US attacks before the November midterm elections.

The meeting came a day after President Trump endorsed Netanyahu’s reelection campaign. Opinion polls suggest Netanyahu’s coalition could lose its parliamentary majority, although his opponents may also struggle to form a government.

Neither Washington nor Jerusalem has announced a decision to resume large-scale operations against Iran.