U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth meets Netanyahu, Katz in unannounced Israel visit

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz as the two countries discuss the possibility of renewing their war against Iran, an Israeli official told Haaretz. The Pentagon did not announce Hegseth's visit in advance, and two sources familiar with the matter and a U.S. official told CNN that it had not been planned. Hegseth's office declined to comment on the report, while Netanyahu's office did not respond to a request for comment. The visit comes after a report on CNN last week that the U.S. military has developed new strike plans against Iran that include the possible use of the GBU-43/B, known as the "mother of all bombs," to target the country's energy infrastructure and nuclear sites. Close An inert version of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast MOAB bomb at the Star Spangled Salute Air & Space Show at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., June 2019. Credit: BlueBarronPhoto/Shutterstock An inert version of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast MOAB bomb at the Star Spangled Salute Air & Space Show at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., June 2019. Credit: BlueBarronPhoto/Shutterstock Hegseth said in a social media post that he had visited U.S. service members in the Central Command area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East, northeast Africa and parts of Asia. News of Hegseth's trip also comes a day after U.S. 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. The president said it was only "a matter of time" before Iran acted on its promise to attack Israel and the United States. "If they don't change their ways, and fast, we will finish the job," he added. "If Israel had the wrong leader, anyone other than Bibi, the U.S. would have to do the job itself, and I don't want to do that." U.S. 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. Clash Report @ clashreport · Follow Q: Trump endorsed Netanyahu. Do you endorse Netanyahu? JD Vance: I endorse American candidates. I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections. Watch on X 1:34 AM · Oct 20, 2026 622 Reply Copy link Read 31 replies