US Defense Secretary Visits Israel Amid Gaza Violence

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth conducted an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The visit occurred as the Trump administration expressed frustration over stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war with Iran. While President Donald Trump has threatened to annihilate Iran and the US military has prepared new strike plans, Trump stated on social media that he would not launch a new attack before the November midterm elections.

During the trip, Hegseth also visited troops with US Central Command. The diplomatic engagement follows an endorsement of Netanyahu by President Trump ahead of the October 27 Israeli parliamentary elections. Netanyahu maintained that the United States and Israel would not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.

Simultaneously, Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least four Palestinians, including a 17-year-old and a married couple, in Gaza City and Khan Younis on Tuesday. The Israeli military claimed it targeted a militant in Gaza City. These deaths occurred during a US-brokered ceasefire; Israel claims Hamas is violating the agreement by rearming, while Hamas accuses Israel of undermining the peace deal.

In a separate regional effort, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy visited Beirut to meet with Lebanese leaders. Fahmy called for concrete financial and political support for Lebanon and opposed the planned departure of UNIFIL forces to prevent a security vacuum.