Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, according to Axios, which cited two people familiar with the meeting.

The Pentagon and the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Hegseth’s trip. The visit comes at a politically significant moment for Netanyahu, who is preparing for an election that could determine whether he remains in power.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of next week’s parliamentary election. The vote will be Israel’s first since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and triggered a wider regional conflict. Israel subsequently fought Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran as hostilities spread across the Middle East.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist governing coalition faces a difficult path to retaining power. Opinion polls suggest the bloc could lose its parliamentary majority, although opposition parties may also struggle to secure enough seats to form a stable government.

The outcome could shape Israel’s domestic policies and its approach to regional security at a time when the country continues to face threats from Iran and Iran-backed militant groups. Trump’s endorsement underscores his public support for Netanyahu as the Israeli prime minister seeks another term, while Hegseth’s reported meeting adds a high-level U.S. defense contact to the lead-up to the vote.