Hegseth had been expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz for talks focused on Iran and regional security, Reuters reported. No official reason has been given for the cancellation.
The visit was called off as Washington and Jerusalem were expected to coordinate their response to developments involving Iran following Trump’s latest remarks, which have raised concerns about the security situation in the Middle East.
Iran, F-35 sale to Turkey on agenda
According to Reuters, Iran was expected to dominate discussions between Hegseth, Netanyahu and Katz.
The leaders were also due to discuss the possible sale of Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, a proposal opposed by Israel.
In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he had conveyed his objections to Trump, arguing that supplying the fifth-generation aircraft to Turkey could affect the regional military balance.
Trump, who is attending a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Turkey, announced on Tuesday that his administration would lift US sanctions imposed on Ankara over its 2019 purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence missile system. He also indicated that his administration was prepared to move forward with the F-35 sale to Turkey.