Key Facts

• Pete Hegseth visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Netanyahu without public announcement.
• The visit occurred a bit more than a week before Israel’s national elections on October 27.
• President Trump has talked about possibly resuming military strikes on Iran after the U.S. midterm elections.
• The U.S. and Israel jointly attacked Iranian targets earlier in 2025 but have eased direct fighting recently.
• Netanyahu said Israel does not plan new strikes on Iran before the elections for convenience.
• President Trump publicly supports Netanyahu and calls him a strong partner against Iran.
• The Trump administration has urged Israel to reduce attacks on Lebanon and control violence in the West Bank.
• U.S. officials suggest the Israeli election affects peace progress in Gaza.