Hegseth meets Netanyahu in unannounced visit to Israel

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth conducted an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Axios, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Reuters has not yet confirmed the visit. The Pentagon and Israel's embassy in Washington have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the matter.

The news of Hegseth's trip arrives a day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel's parliamentary election, which is set to take place next week following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The election, the first since the attack, came amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Polls suggest that Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition may lose its governing majority, though the opposition might also face difficulty in forming a government.

In contrast, US Vice President Kamala Harris, in an earlier interview on Monday, refrained from endorsing Netanyahu, stating she was not involved in Israeli elections.