Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to undergo surgery on Sunday evening, a day after he was diagnosed with a hernia during a routine examination.
The operation is to be carried out under general anaesthetic, according to Netanyahu's office.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, who is also deputy prime minister, is to take over as prime minister in the interim. Israel's war cabinet is to meet on Sunday evening.
Netanyahu's office did not provide more details about the prime minister's condition but inguinal hernias are the most common. Most patients can leave hospital quickly after a hernia operation and return to normal physical activity after a few days or weeks.
A hernia means parts of the intestine, organs or fatty tissue protrude through a gap in the abdominal wall.
Netanyahu, 74, has been hospitalized frequently in the past and was given a pacemaker last summer.
