Pete Hegseth Makes Surprise Visit To Israel, Meets Netanyahu: Report

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge.

19 Oct 2026, 23:19 · NDTV

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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday
Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the surprise trip
No immediate comments were provided by the Pentagon or Israel's Washington embassy

Will Hegseth meet with Israeli opposition leaders too?

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge.

The Pentagon and Israel's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

News of Hegseth's trip comes a day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu in next week's parliamentary election in Israel - its first vote since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that shook the country and plunged the Middle East into turmoil, as Israel went to war in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition is projected to lose its governing majority, although the opposition may also struggle to form a government, opinion polls show.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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