Hegseth Visits Israel as Netanyahu Seeks Reelection

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an undisclosed visit to Israel, according to a report by Axios. The meeting reportedly took place on Monday. Axios cited two people familiar with the matter, while Reuters said it could not immediately confirm the visit. The Pentagon and Israel’s embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to requests for comment, and the article said there was no immediate information about what the two leaders discussed. The reported visit came shortly before Israel’s parliamentary election, which the article describes as the first since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. US President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Truth Social on Sunday, praising him as an ally in the US war on Iran and declaring his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” Trump also wrote, “BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Opinion polls suggest Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition could lose its governing majority, though opposition parties may also have difficulty forming a government. In contrast to Trump, US Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu when asked in an interview on Monday. Vance said he was not involving himself in Israeli elections and was focused on American candidates and the US midterm elections. The article also notes that Vance had endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during Hungarian elections earlier that year.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to two sources cited by CBS News. One was a senior U.S. military official who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly; another source involved in the matter in Israel confirmed the meeting. The Pentagon declined to comment, and CBS News sought a response from the Israeli government. Hegseth confirmed he was in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, but did not identify his location or mention Israel. The visit took place just over a week before Netanyahu’s party faces elections and amid uncertainty about whether the United States might resume military operations against Iran. President Donald Trump has said he is weighing either reaching a deal with Iran’s leadership or “annihilat[ing]” the country, with a decision potentially coming after the November U.S. midterm elections. Israel and the United States jointly struck Iran in late February, while the U.S. also hit three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 during a wider Israel-Iran conflict. The two countries have largely avoided striking one another in recent weeks. Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud-led coalition is seeking to remain in power, facing several centrist challengers, including a party led by former Israel Defense Forces chief Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu said he did not plan to renew strikes on Iran before Israel’s Oct. 27 elections, saying the timing was “not convenient for us.” Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu, praising him as a partner in opposing Iran, although his administration has also pressed Israel to limit strikes in Lebanon, address settler violence in the West Bank, and reach a longer-term agreement with Hamas in Gaza. Trump envoy Jared Kushner suggested that Israel’s election campaign may have slowed progress toward a Gaza deal.

The live report describes escalating conflict and diplomatic activity across the Middle East on October 19, 2026, nearly eight months after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran. During his first visit to Tehran since the war began, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the U.S.-Israeli attacks as illegal. Iranian officials called for stronger cooperation with Russia, including joint transportation and economic projects. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran remained willing to resolve tensions through dialogue, while blaming U.S. military bases and interference for regional instability. Iran also summoned Germany’s ambassador after Germany raised allegations involving Iranian intelligence operatives and a plot against a Jewish organization’s leader. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video of a call with President Donald Trump, who praised Netanyahu and predicted an electoral victory. Netanyahu said the two had “a job to finish” on Iran and promised to complete it together, suggesting the possibility of renewed joint action. The report also details worsening violence involving Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had conducted six operations against Saudi military, airport, and energy targets, describing them as retaliation for Saudi attacks in Yemen. Separately, Yemeni officials said a Houthi ballistic-missile strike on a military camp in Shabwa killed at least 53 soldiers and injured 200 recruits. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi promised a firm response. The update also reports that Riyadh residents received alerts warning of a hostile aerial threat. The conflict is affecting shipping and energy markets as well: the U.K. navy reported ten attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz in the previous week, making October the worst month for shipping attacks there since the war’s early days. Crude oil remained above $105 a barrel after reaching a five-month high near $110. Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and phased reopening of the strait, conditioned on the lifting of U.S. sanctions and a naval blockade, remained available despite Trump’s rejection the previous month.

The supplied page capture is a live-news page whose headline says that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made a surprise visit to Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump, “we have job to finish.” The capture does not include the article’s live-update reporting or any supporting details, so it is not possible to establish when the visit occurred, what the leaders discussed, or what “job” Netanyahu meant. The remaining editorial material consists of a list of related headlines, rather than full articles. Those headlines report that Pakistan’s army chief is expected to visit Tehran for Iran-US mediation efforts; that a Saudi-led coalition accused the Houthis of using traditional fishing boats to smuggle weapons; and that the United States is allowing “dark fleet” oil tankers to ship crude, according to an energy chief. Other listed developments include Egypt’s Parliament postponing a vote on Saudi military assistance, Saudi Arabia postponing an investment conference in Riyadh after Houthi attacks, and more than 50 recruits being killed in a Houthi attack on a military training centre in Yemen. These are presented as teasers, without further verification or context in the supplied text. The page is dated October 20, 2026, and its displayed update time is 5:04 a.m. Overall, the capture indicates a regional news agenda shaped by the Iran war, mediation efforts, Houthi attacks and allegations, and associated security and energy issues. It does not provide enough article text to assess the headline’s claims in depth or reconstruct the full live coverage. Website navigation, social-sharing controls, video links, print settings, and subscription prompts make up most of the rest of the captured content.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s election next week, despite President Donald Trump’s public support for Netanyahu’s reelection. In an interview with Mark Halperin on 2WAY Tonight, Vance said he endorses American candidates and is concentrating on the U.S. midterm elections. He characterized his position as neither opposing nor supporting Netanyahu and said he would not get involved in Israeli elections. Vance also praised Trump’s influence as an endorser, calling it historically effective. Trump, by contrast, praised Netanyahu on Truth Social as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and a partner in efforts to counter Iran. Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support and their cooperation. Vance’s stance differs from his previous involvement in foreign politics: he traveled to Budapest in April to campaign for then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who was subsequently voted out after 16 years in power. Vance also met Alice Weidel, leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, during a security conference in Munich last year; Elon Musk was also promoting the party at the time. The upcoming Israeli vote will be the country’s first national election since Hamas attacked Israel in late 2023. Vance’s remarks come amid a sharp decline in U.S. public support for Israel, which had historically been strong among both major parties, and vigorous debate in the United States over the Netanyahu government’s response to the Hamas attack. The article also notes that Vance said in June that Israel had almost no friends left in the world and should think carefully before turning against the one it had.

US Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election, saying he would focus on American candidates and the upcoming US midterm elections. His comments came one day after President Donald Trump publicly backed Netanyahu. In an interview with journalist Mark Halperin, Vance noted the influence of Trump’s endorsement but drew a boundary around his own involvement in Israeli politics while travelling to campaign for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley in North Carolina. The article notes that Vance has previously supported a foreign politician: he travelled to Hungary last spring to campaign for then-prime minister Viktor Orban, whose party subsequently lost the parliamentary election. Vance’s decision not to echo Trump on Netanyahu comes amid heightened concern about antisemitism and continuing debate over US-Israel relations ahead of the American midterms. Republicans have portrayed some Democrats, including Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, as hostile to Jews and Israel, although divisions also exist within the Republican Party. Vance has faced questions from Jewish Republicans about his support for Jewish Americans and the US alliance with Israel. At a recent Republican Jewish Coalition event in Las Vegas, he reportedly left a positive impression, but did not distance himself from conservative podcast host Tucker Carlson, who was criticized for interviewing antisemite Nick Fuentes. The report also describes Vance’s criticism of aspects of Netanyahu’s government over the war with Iran. He criticized Israeli officials who opposed Trump’s efforts to resolve the conflict and later alleged that some officials were trying to influence American public opinion to prevent negotiations from ending the war. The article presents Vance’s refusal to endorse Netanyahu as a political distinction from Trump, set against tensions over Israel, antisemitism, and the Iran conflict.