US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday during a surprise visit to Israel, according to news website Axios, citing two well-informed sources. The visit comes just days before Israel’s parliamentary elections on 27 October.
Not yet officially confirmed
Hegseth’s trip to Israel has so far not been confirmed by the Pentagon or by the Israeli embassy in Washington, Reuters news agency noted.
Trump’s backing for Netanyahu
In recent days, US President Donald Trump has expressed his support for Netanyahu ahead of the vote.
The elections will be the first since the unprecedented Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, which shook the country and plunged the Middle East into turmoil, as it was followed by large-scale Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Iran.
