Hegseth cancels visit to Israel due to Iran escalation - report

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has canceled his first visit to Israel, which was scheduled for Wednesday, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing a source.

According to the newspaper, Hegseth was expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz during the brief trip.

Hegseth is currently with U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara. The brief visit to Israel was planned in the context of renewed U.S. strikes against Iran.

CNN had previously reported on Hegseth’s plans to visit Israel. According to the TV channel, the top U.S. defense official intended to address Israeli concerns about the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.