Pentagon chief meets Netanyahu in unannounced Israel visit before elections

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel, according to 570wkbn.iheart.com and other sources.

The meeting took place eight days before Israel's Knesset elections and included discussions about resuming major combat operations against Iran, Axios reported.

Representatives from the United Arab Emirates were also present during the meeting, as noted by Army Radio.

Hegseth also visited U.S. troops stationed at the base and shared images of the visit on social media, describing it as a historic mission, according to A News.

The visit comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu for re-election, with Trump warning that the U.S. might have to take on the burden of confronting Iran if Israelis choose another leader.

Both the Pentagon and the Israeli Embassy declined to comment on the meeting, and the Prime Minister's Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.