U.S. Defense Secretary Meets Israeli Counterpart Following Israel’s Defense Budget Hike

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in Washington, D.C., a day after Israel announced a $12.5 billion increase in its defense budget for 2025 and 2026. The meeting focused on regional security challenges, military cooperation, and strategic coordination between the two allies amid rising tensions in the Middle East.