Hegseth says US forces ‘ready to go’ against Iran after secret Israel visit

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirms he secretly visited Israel for meeting with Netanyahu, says US troops in the region are ready to act against Iran.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that American forces stationed in Israel are prepared to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, following an unannounced visit during which he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional security threats.

“I got to see some of our warfighters—they’re preparing and ready to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth said while discussing his visit to US troops in Israel.

The troops, he added, were experienced, well-equipped and confident in their mission, declaring that they were “ready to go.”

“They’ve been vigilant for many months. They’re prepared, and they’re dialed in. You look into their eyes, and they’re ready to go.”

Hegseth’s remarks came a day after he met Netanyahu at the Uvda Air Force Base in southern Israel’s Negev desert. The previously undisclosed meeting took place amid growing speculation about renewed American and Israeli military operations against Iran.

The defense secretary confirmed the meeting but declined to disclose the substance of his discussions with the Israeli leader.

“Of course, the nature of our conversation is not something I would talk about,” Hegseth told reporters, adding that Israel had been a reliable partner.

Netanyahu’s spokesman, Doron Spielman, confirmed that the discussions addressed regional threats and cooperation between the two countries on both offensive and defensive military measures.

Spielman also said Hegseth thanked Israel for accommodating thousands of American military personnel and discussed President Donald Trump’s support for Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections.

The visit coincided with a substantial expansion of American military deployments to the Middle East. The Pentagon is sending the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region, adding approximately 10,000 sailors and Marines.

The reinforcements, which are expected to arrive by late November, will join the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington aircraft carriers already operating in the region.

The deployments would give Washington additional military options as Trump considers whether to resume large-scale strikes against Iran following the November 3 US midterm elections.

Although Trump has publicly ruled out launching new attacks before the elections, he has repeatedly warned Tehran that the US remains prepared to use military force if diplomatic efforts fail.

The president also declined to discuss Hegseth’s meeting with Netanyahu when questioned Tuesday.

“I can’t do that now, no,” Trump replied when asked whether he could reveal what had been discussed.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, renewed his call Tuesday for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling establishment, describing it as a central Israeli objective.

“We must complete the elimination of the Iranian regime — that is the primary objective,” Netanyahu said during a visit to Tel Hai University in Kiryat Shmona.

The prime minister said he had discussed the issue with Trump repeatedly, including during a conversation on Sunday.

The latest developments come as Washington and Tehran remain deadlocked over Iran’s nuclear program, American sanctions and restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian officials have insisted that negotiations cannot advance without concessions from Washington, including steps to ease economic pressure and restore trust following earlier American military operations.

Tehran has also rejected demands to transfer its enriched uranium stockpile abroad, maintaining that the material must remain under Iranian control.