JULY 20, 2025 – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, during a bilateral engagement at the Pentagon.
At the start of the meeting, Hegseth and Katz recounted the recent successes both countries had in dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
“On behalf of our team, we want to congratulate you on the incredibly successful [Operation] Rising Lion,” Hegseth said.
Spanning June 13-24, 2025, Operation Rising Lion — also known as the Iran-Israel war — was an armed conflict between those two countries in which Israel launched a number of surprise attacks on key Iranian facilities, both nuclear and military.
“[It was] a 12-day war that changed the region and the world; and was an example of why Israel is a model ally that understands the threat, is capable and will act in defense of [not only] your own country, but also [recognizes] the collective security threats that we face,” Hegseth told Katz.
Both leaders also praised Operation Midnight Hammer that helped bring Rising Lion to a favorable resolution for Israel, the U.S. and allies throughout the Middle East.
During that June 21, 2025, mission, U.S. Central Command deployed multiple combined assets — including seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fighter jets — to inflict significant damage on Iran’s nuclear program at the sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Stating that the three Iranian nuclear sites were “completely obliterated,” Hegseth said the success of Midnight Hammer sent a message to the entire world.
“Ultimately, what you did and what we did remade the [Middle East and] created incredible opportunities,” Hegseth told Katz.
He added that the U.S. is hopeful Iran will ultimately choose to make peace.
“That’s the hope of your country and the hope of ours,” Hegseth said.
During his brief remarks, Katz noted in addition to strikes on the nuclear facilities Israel also destroyed Iran’s missile production capability.
“I would like to thank you, again, for playing a key role in the partnership and friendship between the United States and Israel,” Katz told Hegseth, adding the hospitality shown by the U.S. during his visit is demonstrative of the strong relationship between the two countries.
“We stand firmly with Israel, committed to reinforcing your right to self-defense; and whether it’s new capabilities [for] that defense — or a lasting peace — we look forward to working together even more,” Hegseth told his counterpart.
Katz’s visit comes just over a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Pentagon.
By Matthew Olay, DOD News