US defense secretary makes secret visit to Israel amid Iran tensions

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ovda Airbase in southern Israel. The visit comes amid speculation that the talks may have focused on resuming large-scale military operations against Iran.

According to the US news site Axios, experts believe the discussions between Austin and Netanyahu likely addressed the possibility of launching a major military operation against Iran, given recent regional developments.

The visit took place just days before Israel's legislative elections, scheduled for October 27.

The meeting was held at Ovda Airbase, which hosts US aircraft, according to information released about the visit.