U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth Visits Israel After Strikes on Iran

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth touched down in Israel on Wednesday for his first official visit since assuming office, with meetings scheduled with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The trip comes within hours of American military strikes against Iran — developments that briefly cast doubt on whether the visit would proceed before it was confirmed to go ahead as planned.

Prominent on the agenda is Israeli unease over a potential U.S. arms transfer to Turkey involving advanced F-35 stealth fighters. Israeli officials regard such a sale as a direct threat to the country's qualitative military edge — the longstanding cornerstone of Israeli defense doctrine — and are expected to raise the issue explicitly with Hegseth, who will have the opportunity to hear those concerns delivered in person and at the highest level.

Talks are also expected to address the situation in Gaza and the broader strategic implications of the overnight strikes on Iran. Tehran's nuclear program and its regional military posture have long occupied the top tier of Israel's security priorities, and Israeli officials are likely to press for detailed briefings on what Washington's military action against Iran signals for the road ahead — including its potential effect on nuclear diplomacy and the behavior of Iranian proxy forces across the region.

The visit arrives at an exceptionally charged moment in Middle East security affairs, with several consequential military and diplomatic developments unfolding simultaneously. For both sides, the meeting offers a critical opportunity to take a direct read on the current state of U.S.-Israel defense relations — and to align on what comes next.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth touched down in Israel on Wednesday for his first official visit since assuming office, with meetings scheduled with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The trip comes within hours of American military strikes against Iran — developments that briefly cast doubt on whether the visit would proceed before it was confirmed to go ahead as planned.

Prominent on the agenda is Israeli unease over a potential U.S. arms transfer to Turkey involving advanced F-35 stealth fighters. Israeli officials regard such a sale as a direct threat to the country's qualitative military edge — the longstanding cornerstone of Israeli defense doctrine — and are expected to raise the issue explicitly with Hegseth, who will have the opportunity to hear those concerns delivered in person and at the highest level.

Talks are also expected to address the situation in Gaza and the broader strategic implications of the overnight strikes on Iran. Tehran's nuclear program and its regional military posture have long occupied the top tier of Israel's security priorities, and Israeli officials are likely to press for detailed briefings on what Washington's military action against Iran signals for the road ahead — including its potential effect on nuclear diplomacy and the behavior of Iranian proxy forces across the region.

The visit arrives at an exceptionally charged moment in Middle East security affairs, with several consequential military and diplomatic developments unfolding simultaneously. For both sides, the meeting offers a critical opportunity to take a direct read on the current state of U.S.-Israel defense relations — and to align on what comes next.