Hegseth meets Netanyahu in unannounced visit to Israel

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited Israel unannounced on Monday, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Axios, citing two sources with knowledge of the situation. Reuters could not independently verify the visit. Neither the Pentagon nor Israel's embassy in Washington provided immediate comment on the matter.

The news of Hegseth's trip arrived the day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel's parliamentary election, the first vote since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Netanyahu's coalition, while projected to lose its majority, faces a potentially unstable political landscape as the opposition also struggles to form a government, according to opinion polls.

Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris declined to endorse Netanyahu in an interview earlier on Monday, stating she was focused on American elections and not involved in Israeli affairs. Harris, who previously endorsed Hungarian President Viktor Orban, expressed neutrality in the Israeli elections.