Hegseth Meets Netanyahu in Israel Ahead of Elections and Iran War Decisions

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, October 19, according to U.S. and Israeli sources cited by CBS News. The meeting took place shortly before Israel's October 27 elections, as President Donald Trump considers the future of the conflict with Iran and has publicly backed Netanyahu's continued leadership.

A senior U.S. military official confirmed the visit to CBS News on condition of anonymity, and a second source involved in the matter in Israel also confirmed the meeting. Israel's Army Radio reported that the talks took place at an air force base in the country's southern desert. The Pentagon declined to provide further details.

In a social media post, Hegseth confirmed that he had visited U.S. service members within U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, which includes the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia. He shared a photograph of himself addressing troops but did not identify Israel as his location.

Hegseth described the service members as being engaged in what he called a historic mission.

"on a historic mission" was the description Hegseth used in his post about the troops.

The meeting came amid uncertainty over whether Washington would resume military operations against Iran. U.S. and Israeli forces launched joint strikes against Iran in late February, while the United States had previously attacked three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 during a wider conflict between Israel and Iran.

Trump has said he is considering either reaching an agreement with Iran's leadership or taking further military action. According to CBS News, he suggested that a decision could follow the U.S. midterm elections in November and used the term "annihilate" when describing one possible course of action.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Kansas on Monday, Trump said the United States could withdraw from the conflict while maintaining that Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons.

"Somebody said you could leave right now. It's true. We could leave right now. They're not going to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

Trump also claimed that Iran's military capabilities and leadership had been severely weakened, citing the destruction of its navy, air force, radar systems and air defenses. He said 229 Iranian fighter jets were scattered across runways.

"I don't know who the hell to negotiate with," Trump said.

He argued that multiple levels of Iran's leadership had been eliminated during the conflict.

"Their first level of leaders gone. Their second level of leaders gone. Their third level of leaders half gone," Trump said.

Trump added that remaining Iranian leaders had asked him for assurances that they would not be killed during the conflict.

"like we killed the others," Trump said, referring to the requested guarantee.

Trump also referenced Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian military commander killed during his first presidential term.

"Soleimani was killed. You know Soleimani, by me, in the first term? Soleimani was killed," Trump said.

Discussing Iran's domestic crackdown, Trump claimed that Iranian authorities had killed at least 75,000 protesters over the preceding eight months. The source article did not independently verify that figure.

"Then somebody said, I wonder why they don't protest. Well, it's a little hard when you got machine guns at the end of the street shooting you down," Trump said.

Trump also referred to wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, who was executed in March alongside Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi after Iranian authorities accused the three men of killing two police officers during nationwide protests.

"The world champion wrestler was killed, a young guy," Trump said.

He described the method of execution while criticizing the Iranian authorities.

"They hang them by cranes. They hang them by cranes for all to see," Trump said.

Netanyahu faces a closely contested election on October 27, with his right-wing Likud-led coalition seeking to retain power. Opinion polls cited by Al Jazeera suggest the religious-nationalist bloc could lose its governing majority, although opposition parties may also struggle to assemble a viable coalition.

Netanyahu told Israeli media last week that he did not intend to launch renewed strikes against Iran before the election.

"it is not convenient for us," Netanyahu said, explaining why he was not planning to restart attacks before voters went to the polls.

Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday, praising the Israeli leader's role in confronting Iran. The endorsement underscored the close relationship between the two leaders as Netanyahu faces electoral uncertainty.

"a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump wrote in his endorsement.

In a separate post, Trump declared his support for Netanyahu's candidacy in emphatic terms.

"BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" Trump wrote, adding that Netanyahu had his "Complete and Total Endorsement".

U.S. Vice President JD Vance took a different approach, declining to endorse Netanyahu during an interview with digital media outlet 2WAY on Monday. Vance said his political focus remained on American elections.

"I endorse American candidates, and that's where I'm focused on is the midterms," Vance said.

Vance clarified that his position did not amount to opposition to Netanyahu but reflected his decision to stay out of Israel's electoral contest.

"I'm not anti-endorsing him, but I'm not pro-endorsing him; I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections," Vance said.

The visit also comes against a broader backdrop of differences between Washington and Jerusalem over regional policy. The Trump administration has urged Israel to reduce attacks in Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates, address settler violence in the West Bank and pursue a longer-term agreement with Hamas in Gaza.

Trump envoy Jared Kushner previously suggested that Israel's election campaign had slowed progress toward an agreement in Gaza, commenting at a conference in Kyiv last month on the political pressures surrounding Netanyahu's government.

"They just have a crazy election, and that makes them a little irrational in certain regards," Kushner said.