Pete Hegseth is expected to hold meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday, focusing on security coordination and US military aid amid the regional escalation, according to a CNN report citing three sources.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Israel Wednesday morning, landing shortly before 08:30 Jerusalem, and is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz for talks on security coordination, according to a CNN report citing three sources. The visit comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing US military operations against Iran.
The visit was first reported by CNN at 02:20 Jerusalem, which cited three sources. Within the same hour, a senior US official told Barak Ravid (N12) that the visit had been rescheduled to Thursday, July 9, before further reports moved it back to Wednesday. By 02:20, Channel 14’s Noam Amir confirmed Hegseth was en route, and Israeli media subsequently reported his arrival. The Zioneer later reported at 08:32 Jerusalem that the visit would address Israeli concerns over potential US arms sales to Turkey, an issue that has drawn scrutiny from Israeli defense planners.
As The Zioneer has reported, Hegseth has been a key architect of the US administration's 'negotiating through bombs' strategy in the direct kinetic confrontation with Iran. The Pentagon chief’s itinerary in Israel follows a series of US strikes against Iranian targets, and the visit underscores the close strategic alignment between Washington and Jerusalem. Defense Minister Katz spoke with Hegseth by phone on Monday, June 15, according to i24NEWS, laying groundwork for the in-person meetings.
The exact agenda and duration of the visit remain unconfirmed, though the meetings are expected to cover the full spectrum of bilateral security cooperation. It is not yet clear whether the discussions will yield any public announcements on arms sales or joint operations.
6 developments
- StrongDefense Minister Katz speaks with US counterpart Hegseth
- StrongUS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tours naval base at Guantanamo Bay
- DevelopingIsraeli officials to visit Washington amid difficulties in Iran talks — i24
- StrongUS Defense Secretary Hegseth meets CENTCOM commander at Florida headquarters
Source and signal
- Internal intake