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Hegseth Meets Netanyahu in Unannounced Visit Ahead Election

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 2:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an unannounced visit Monday.
President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s first parliamentary election since the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
Opinion polls project Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition will lose its governing majority.
Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu, saying he is focused on U.S. midterm elections.

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Story summary

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an unannounced visit Monday.
President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s first parliamentary election since the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
Opinion polls project Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition will lose its governing majority.
Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Netanyahu, saying he is focused on U.S. midterm elections.