Israel and the United States “remade” the Middle East and “created incredible opportunities” during Jerusalem’s 12-day war with Iran last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz at the Pentagon on Friday.
Hegseth and U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, congratulated Katz on the “incredibly successful [Operation] Rising Lion”—which Israel launched in a large-scale surprise attack against Iran on June 13.
“Obviously, we’ve spoken on the phone many, many times. Welcome to the Pentagon. Welcome to your team, some of which we saw just earlier this week,” the U.S. Department of Defense website quoted Hegseth as saying to the Israeli minister, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to Washington.
The war “changed the region and the world and was an example of why Israel is a model ally, understands the threat, is capable and will act in defense of your own country but also recognizing the collective security threats that we face,” Hegseth said.
The secretary further praised “Operation Midnight Hammer,” in which U.S. bombers attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities, Fordow being the most challenging, constructed deep underneath a mountain.
“It was not just a message to those nuclear sites, but also to the rest of the world: America can fly 37 hours undetected into a hostile nation, deliver decisive, precise munitions that only the United States of America has and is capable of employing, and then go home safely. That’s a message to the world,” Hegseth continued.
He said that Washington stands firmly with Israel, committed to reinforcing its right to self-defense and its pursuit of lasting peace. “We look forward to working together even more,” the defense secretary said.
Katz expressed appreciation for his counterpart’s hospitality, adding how much he was impressed with “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
“It was a brave and historic decision by President Trump. Together, we destroyed the Iranian nuclear program,” he said.
The defense minister added that Israel destroyed Iran’s missile production capability. “Our joint goal is to keep our achievements, stopping Iran from building its nuclear program and mass production of missiles,” he continued.
Washington and Jerusalem “have a very close partnership and we will continue to strengthen it in the fields of missile defense and drones,” Katz said.
