Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pete Hegseth, the newly installed U.S. secretary of defense, spoke on Sunday about the “unbreakable bond that exists between the United States and Israel,” a senior U.S. defense official stated.
A Pentagon readout states that the two men “discussed the importance of advancing mutual security interests and priorities, especially in the face of persistent threats.” Hegseth stressed that the United States “is fully committed, under President Trump’s leadership, to ensuring that Israel has the capabilities it needs to defend itself. “
Netanyahu congratulated Hegseth on his recent appointment, and the U.S. secretary “noted his many years of support for the State of Israel and his friendship with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” according to an Israeli readout of the call.
Hegseth also “promised that the United States would stand shoulder to shoulder alongside Israel and was fully committed to its security,” the Israeli government said.