Austin to Visit Israel US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is slated to visit Israel next week, Israeli sources said on Tuesday. The Pentagon and Israel’s Ministry of Defense have not responded for comment. If Austin does make the trip, it would be the first visit to Israel of a senior American official since US President Joe Biden stepped into office in January. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and discuss regional matters, including Iran’s nuclear program. Another issue expected to come up is the preservation of Israel’s military advantage in the region -- a defensive understanding that was agreed with Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump. Source: Walla! News