US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has cancelled a planned visit to Israel as military tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, according to reporting from The Media Line and Arab News. Hegseth, who was attending the NATO summit in Ankara alongside President Donald Trump, had been scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. It would have been Hegseth’s first visit to Israel since taking office.
The cancellation follows renewed fighting between the United States and Iran. Earlier today, the US military launched strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets, while Iran responded by targeting sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to reports from CNN, NPR, and Reuters.
President Trump declared the ceasefire with Iran “over” at a press conference at the NATO summit in Turkey. “It’s over,” Trump said, referring to the Memorandum of Understanding that had underpinned the agreement to halt military operations. Trump characterized Iran as “vicious” and “violent,” signaling an end to diplomatic restraint.
The escalation marks a dramatic reversal after weeks of fragile peace efforts. A ceasefire had been agreed on June 24, 2026, following months of conflict that began in February when the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military targets. However, the agreement proved short-lived, with both sides trading strikes repeatedly through late June and early July.
The immediate trigger for today’s escalation was Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Media Line. In response, the US reimposed sanctions on Iranian oil and launched the new wave of strikes. Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait represent a significant expansion of the conflict beyond Iran’s borders, involving US military installations in the Persian Gulf region.
Among the issues Hegseth had planned to discuss with Israeli leaders was Israel’s opposition to a possible US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. At the NATO summit, Trump indicated the US was open to reconsidering the sale, praising Ankara’s relationship with Washington. No new date for Hegseth’s Israel visit has been announced.
The broader context reflects deepening cracks in diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict. Earlier in July, senior US officials had expressed concern that Iran was targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, while Trump declared the ceasefire ‘over’ following US strikes. The cancellation of Hegseth’s visit underscores how quickly the security situation has deteriorated and the challenges facing the Trump administration in managing Israel-US coordination amid renewed hostilities.
Sources
- The Media Line — Hegseth’s cancellation of his Israel visit, the NATO summit context, the trigger of Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump’s decision to reimpose sanctions
- CNN — US strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets and Trump’s statement that the ceasefire is ‘over’
- NPR — Iran’s targeting of Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes
- Reuters — Iran’s attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait and Trump’s statement on the ceasefire
- Arab News — Hegseth’s cancellation of his planned Israel visit
