US Defense Chief meets Israel Prime Minister in unannounced visit — report

WASHINGTON - 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.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the meeting, but 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, northeast Africa and parts of Asia.

The Pentagon declined comment, while Israel's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request 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.

US Vice President JD Vance, however, declined to endorse Netanyahu in an interview earlier on Monday, saying he was not getting involved in Israeli elections.

"I endorse American candidates, and that's where I'm focused on is the midterms," Vance, who traveled to Budapest and endorsed Viktor Orban in Hungarian election earlier this year, said in an interview with digital media outlet 2WAY.

"I'm not anti-endorsing him, but I'm not pro-endorsing him, I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections." Vance said.

- Phil Stewart, Christian Martinez and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Lincoln Feast/Reuters