Hegseth meets Netanyahu in unannounced visit to Israel

US Defense Secretary Hegseth has made an unannounced trip to Israel to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US news outlet Axios reported the visit, citing unnamed sources.

The trip comes shortly before an Israeli election that is expected to be closely contested. That makes a meeting between a senior US official and the head of government politically sensitive.

For now, the only confirmed details are that Hegseth has arrived in Israel and is meeting Netanyahu. The source does not say what the two will discuss, how long the visit will last or whether any official statements will follow. The report relies on anonymous sources, and no official confirmation is mentioned.