US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth makes surprise visit to Israel

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel as part of an unannounced visit.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a surprise visit to the country, according to reports citing two sources. The Pentagon and the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not make an official statement regarding the matter. The two figures are known to have previously met in Washington in July.

The visit took place immediately after US President Donald Trump announced his support for Netanyahu in the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held in Israel next week. In Israel, which will head to the polls for the first time since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, opinion polls indicate that Netanyahu's coalition could lose its majority.