Hegseth Pays a Secret Visit to Israel

A day after President Trump endorsed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel's looming elections, his defense secretary reportedly made an unannounced visit to Israel and met with the leader in person. Sources tell Axios that Hegseth attended a meeting with Netanyahu on Monday, eight days ahead of the election, at Ovda Air Base in southern Israel, where he also met with US troops. Hegseth shared photos of him addressing troops with US Central Command, writing, "The best of our country, on a historic mission. Godspeed."

There was no immediate comment from the Pentagon or the Prime Minister's Office. The Jerusalem Post also reported on the meeting, citing sources as saying representatives from the United Arab Emirates were not present, which conflicted with earlier reporting. It comes as both Hegseth and Netanyahu face criticism at home, with Netanyahu's coalition expected to lose its governing majority, per Al Jazeera. While Trump has endorsed the Israeli leader, Vice President JD Vance declined to do so on Monday, saying "I'm not getting involved."