U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Tuesday that he visited American troops in Israel during an unannounced trip this week, but declined to discuss what he described as a private conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hegseth visited Israel on Monday and met with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz as the two countries discuss the possibility of renewed fighting with Iran. An Israeli official had confirmed the meetings to Haaretz earlier Tuesday.
Asked about his conversation with Netanyahu, Hegseth said he would not discuss private talks with the Israeli prime minister. He did, however, confirm visiting U.S. service members stationed in Israel. Hegseth had previously acknowledged only that he had traveled within the U.S. Central Command area, without specifying that he had been in Israel.
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The Pentagon did not announce the visit in advance. Two sources familiar with the trip and a U.S. official told CNN that it had not been planned in advance.
The visit comes amid discussions between Washington and Jerusalem over the possibility of renewed military action against Iran. CNN reported last week that the U.S. military had developed new strike plans that include the possible use of the GBU-43/B, known as the “mother of all bombs,” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites.
Meanwhile, Iran told Pakistan’s army chief on Tuesday that there would be no talks with Washington until Tehran’s demands were met, Iranian media reported, underscoring its hardening stance despite mediation efforts by key interlocutor Pakistan.
President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed mediation efforts and regional developments with Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran, according to Nournews.
Hegseth’s trip also came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of next week’s Israeli election and warned that it was only “a matter of time” before Iran sought to attack Israel and the United States.
“If they don’t change their ways, and fast, we will finish the job,” Trump said. “If Israel had the wrong leader, anyone other than Bibi, the U.S. would have to do the job itself, and I don’t want to do that.”
Q: Trump endorsed Netanyahu. Do you endorse Netanyahu?
JD Vance: I endorse American candidates. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.
Vice President JD Vance, meanwhile, declined to endorse Netanyahu on Monday, saying he did not want to involve himself in Israel’s election.
“I’m not anti-endorsing him, but I’m not pro-endorsing him, I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance told the digital media outlet 2WAY.