US senator and Trump ally Lindsey Graham dies age 71: statement

"On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness," the Republican senator from South Carolina's office said in a statement on his official X account.

"Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."

Graham was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1994, before being elected to the Senate in 2002.

He was later re-elected to the Senate in 2008, 2014 and 2020 and most recently served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster described Graham as "irreplaceable" in a post on X.

"The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America -- and a loyal and steadfast friend," McMaster said.

Graham was also a strong supporter of Israel and a hawkish backer of the Iran war.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the news of Graham's death left him "shocked and heartbroken."

"Senator Graham was a beacon of moral clarity and a true leader of the U.S.-Israel partnership," he said in a post on X.

"We will never forget how he stood by the people of Israel in our most difficult moments, and we will remain eternally grateful for his sense of justice, truth, and loyalty," Herzog said.

"The people of Israel mourn his loss, and I will miss my great friend very dearly."