U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the meeting. The Pentagon and Israeli Embassy declined comment, while Netanyahu’s office had not immediately responded. The report disclosed no meeting agenda or decisions.

The visit comes just over a week before Israel’s election and follows President Donald Trump’s public endorsement of Netanyahu. Trump praised the Israeli leader’s partnership in the campaign against Iran, while Netanyahu thanked him and promised to complete their shared mission.

Iran remains at the center of a contested account of recent U.S.-Israeli consultations. Axios reported last week that Trump and Netanyahu had discussed a potential joint operation against Iranian military and nuclear targets. An Israeli official told the outlet that Netanyahu raised intelligence concerns about Iran rebuilding its nuclear program.

The White House disputed that report, saying the leaders had not discussed restarting the war and that Trump would not attack Iran before the U.S. midterm elections.

Meanwhile, the IDF has announced concrete steps to strengthen readiness ahead of Israel’s vote. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered restrictions on soldiers leaving bases beginning Thursday, increased senior commanders’ presence in command centers and directed reinforcements across multiple fronts.

The Paratroopers Brigade headquarters will reinforce Central Command between Samaria and Binyamin. Zamir said the military was on its highest alert and stressed that its mission was to ensure elections take place safely and on schedule. The announcement did not connect those measures to Hegseth’s visit.

Netanyahu also delivered a warning from an Israeli Air Force base in a statement released by his office. He said Israel had the readiness, determination and ability to strike its enemies whenever necessary, warning that they would face heavier blows than those already inflicted.