A former senior Israeli Air Force officer told Channel 14 that the political echelon must prevent any U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, amid growing signals from the Trump administration it may pursue the deal.
A former senior Israeli Air Force officer told Channel 14 on Thursday that Israel's political leadership must act to block a potential U.S. sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey. The statement follows a series of developments this week in which President Donald Trump indicated he would likely approve the sale, and Vice President JD Vance confirmed a legal review is underway.
The former officer's remarks add Israeli military pressure to the domestic American opposition already voiced by figures such as conservative commentator Mark Levin. The Trump administration has also approved the sale of F-110 engines for Turkish fighter jets worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and reports indicate the administration is weighing a workaround of congressional opposition.
Analysts quoted by The Zioneer have warned that returning Turkey to the F-35 program — from which Ankara was expelled in 2019 after purchasing the Russian S-400 air defense system — could erode Israel's air superiority in the Eastern Mediterranean and risk technology leakage to Russia and Iran. No formal Israeli government response has been reported as of Thursday evening.
- StrongAnalysis: Trump's renewed push for F-35 sale to Turkey threatens Israel's air supremacy in the Mediterranean
- DevelopingMark Levin urges Trump to halt F-35 transfers to Turkey
- DevelopingVance says US may sell F-35s to Turkey, needs legal review
- DevelopingCongressional critics and slim chances to block F-35 and engine sale to Turkey
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake