US-Iran Attacks Each Other, Defense Secretary Hegseth Cancels Visit to Israel

JAKARTA - US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled a planned visit to Israel on Wednesday - according to two Israeli sources - following the latest escalation between Iran and the US.

Hegseth is scheduled to make his first visit to Israel as Secretary of Defense to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Katz, a source told CNN, Wednesday, July 8.

Hegseth also plans to visit an Israeli air force base. The visit, first reported by CNN, was canceled Wednesday morning, even as preparations were underway.

One of Hegseth's goals was to allay Israeli concerns about the potential sale of advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey - an idea that President Donald Trump had floated at the NATO summit in Ankara.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Netanyahu said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "is not an ideal ally for the United States."

Netanyahu said Erdogan "threatened to destroy my country, the only Jewish state that exists."

Israel is the only country in the Middle East that currently operates the F-35, America's most advanced fighter jet.