PHOTO: REUTERS
Hegseth meets Netanyahu in unannounced visit to Israel, source says
· The Straits Times- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel and met Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a source, as US-Iran tensions rise.
- The Pentagon gave no comment, while Hegseth said he visited US service members in the Central Command area, covering the Middle East, north-east Africa and parts of Asia.
- The trip came after Trump backed Netanyahu in Israel’s election and amid wider conflict over the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks, and limits on any strike against Iran.
JERUSALEM – US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Oct 19, a source familiar with the matter said, as tensions flare between the US and Iran.
The source did not say what the two men discussed during the meeting, first reported by Axios.
The Pentagon declined to comment. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hegseth said in a social media post that he had visited US service members in the Central Command area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East, north-east Africa and parts of Asia.
Israel’s Army Radio reported his meeting with Netanyahu took place at an air force base in Israel’s southern desert.
Hegseth’s visit comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East war as tensions flare between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz and as Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis intensify their attacks on Saudi Arabia.
It also came a day after US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu in next week’s parliamentary election in Israel – the country’s first ballot since the Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel.
US and Israeli forces launched joint strikes against Iran in late February, setting off the wider Middle East war.
Netanyahu told Israeli media in October that he’s not seeking to attack Iran before the Oct 27 Israeli election.
Trump has said he will not attack Iran before US midterm elections in November. REUTERS