Four-term South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham dies following sudden illness after being rushed to the hospital Saturday night.By World Israel News StaffUS Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime South Carolina Republican who became one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies and a forceful advocate of US military power abroad, died Saturday evening after a sudden illness. He was 71.Graham’s office announced his death early Sunday in a statement posted to his official social-media account.“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, US Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” the statement said.“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”No additional information about the illness or the circumstances of Graham’s death was immediately released.Graham had turned 71 on Thursday and remained publicly active until just before his death. On Friday, he was in Kyiv meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and promoting a bipartisan sanctions bill intended to punish countries purchasing Russian oil and natural gas.Graham and three other senators announced that they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration on a revised version of the sanctions legislation.“We’ve reached an agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support,” Graham told reporters in Kyiv. “It means it’s going to become law.”His death came barely a month after he won South Carolina’s Republican Senate primary and secured the party’s nomination to seek a fifth term in November.Addressing Trump during his primary victory speech, Graham declared: “I’m going to help you change this world and change this country.”Graham was among the most interventionist Republicans in Congress and regularly argued that US military strength was essential to deterring adversaries.He supported the invasion of Iraq, advocated a sustained American presence in Afghanistan and repeatedly called for tougher action against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.Graham strongly backed Israel and maintained close relationships with successive Israeli governments. He frequently visited the country, defended US military assistance and argued that Washington should confront Iran and Iranian-backed organizations more aggressively.During the widening conflict with Iran, Graham became one of the most outspoken congressional supporters of Trump’s decision to use American military force. He had long urged the United States to strike Iranian nuclear facilities if diplomacy failed to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.His support for Israel was accompanied by harsh criticism of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Authority. Graham also supported efforts to sanction International Criminal Court officials over actions directed at Israeli and American personnel.Ukraine was another major focus during his final years in office. Although parts of the Republican Party became increasingly skeptical of aid to Kyiv, Graham continued to support military assistance and economic pressure on Russia.Born in Central, South Carolina, on July 9, 1955, Lindsey Olin Graham was in his early 20s when his mother died, with his father dying just over a year later. He later became the legal guardian of his younger sister while attending college and law school.He received undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina before joining the Air Force as a military lawyer.Graham served on active duty for more than six years, including as a defense attorney and chief prosecutor at Rhein-Main Air Base in West Germany. He later joined the South Carolina Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve.He retired as a colonel in 2015 after more than three decades of military service.Graham began his political career in the South Carolina House of Representatives before winning election to the US House in 1994. He served four House terms before being elected to the US Senate in 2002. He was reelected in 2008, 2014 and 2020.Graham’s death leaves South Carolina with an unexpected Senate vacancy less than four months before the November 3 general election.South Carolina law permits the governor to appoint a temporary senator following a death or resignation. The appointment may continue until January 3 following the next general election.A separate provision of state law requires a special primary when a party nominee selected in a primary dies before the general election.Graham was scheduled to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician, in November.Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) eulogized Graham in a post to his X account Sunday morning.“Today, Israel has lost one of its greatest friends,” Ben-Gvir wrote. “Senator Lindsey Graham stood with Israel not because it was easy, but because he believed it was right. His unwavering support, courage, and moral clarity earned him the admiration of millions of Israelis.”“The State of Israel will always remember his friendship, his unwavering support, and his steadfast commitment to Israel’s security. Heartfelt condolences to his family and to the American people. May his memory be a blessing.”The post Senator Lindsey Graham, pro-Israel stalwart and Trump ally, dead at 71 appeared first on World Israel News.