Hegseth Holds Meeting with Netanyahu During Secret Visit to Israel

International Desk | PNN

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth secretly visited Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to US media outlet Axios. The US Department of Defense has made no official comment on the meeting, which took place on Monday.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, Axios reported that the meeting involved Hegseth, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, and Netanyahu. Their encounter is attracting political and security attention ahead of Israel’s upcoming parliamentary election.

A spokesperson for the US Department of Defense told Al Jazeera that the department would not comment on the matter. However, in a social media post, Hegseth said he had met with American service members stationed in areas under the responsibility of the United States Central Command. The command’s area of responsibility includes the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia.

According to a report by Israel’s Army Radio, Hegseth and Netanyahu met at an airbase in the desert region of southern Israel.

News of Hegseth’s visit emerged as Israel prepares to hold parliamentary elections next week. Just one day before the visit, Trump publicly declared his support for Netanyahu in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump praised Netanyahu’s role as a US ally in the war against Iran. He also expressed his full support for the Israeli prime minister. In the post, he wrote, “Bibi Netanyahu will never let you down.”

The upcoming election will be Israel’s first parliamentary election since the Hamas-led attack on the country on October 7, 2023. Following that attack, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza developed into a prolonged conflict and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.

Opinion polls published ahead of the election suggest that Netanyahu’s religious and nationalist coalition could lose its parliamentary majority. However, the polls also indicate that opposition parties may struggle to secure enough support to form a government.

Although Trump has publicly sided with Netanyahu, US Vice President JD Vance has expressed a different position. In an interview with digital news outlet Two-Way on Monday, Vance said he was not taking sides in Israel’s election.

Vance said he supported candidates in US elections and that his attention was currently focused on the upcoming midterm elections. He made clear that he did not want to become involved in Israel’s electoral process, saying he was neither opposing Netanyahu nor endorsing him.

Earlier, in April this year, Vance travelled to Hungary ahead of its election and expressed support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Overall, Hegseth’s secret visit, his meeting with Netanyahu and Trump’s public endorsement have drawn renewed attention to Israel’s political situation ahead of the election. However, no detailed information has yet been released about the subjects discussed during the meeting.