According to a report by Barak Ravid, the senior US official participated in the Trump-Erdogan meeting in Ankara and is expected to meet Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz to discuss the situation in Iran and the potential supply of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
According to a report by Barak Ravid, senior US official Hagest is expected to arrive in Israel from Ankara, where he participated in the meeting between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Hagest is slated to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to discuss the situation in Iran and the potential supply of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
The planned visit follows a series of reports on the Trump-Erdogan summit in Ankara. As The Zioneer reported on July 7, Trump signaled support for the sale of F-35s to Turkey during his visit, and Erdogan claimed a promise for five stealth jets had been secured. Earlier that day, The Zioneer noted that Trump landed in Ankara for high-stakes NATO summit talks, with the F-35 program returning to the agenda. The latest report from Ravid, published at 02:40 Jerusalem, is the first indication of a direct US-Israeli diplomatic engagement specifically linked to the Ankara summit outcomes.
Hagest's visit also comes amid broader US-Israeli dialogue on Iran. Earlier this week, The Zioneer reported that Israeli officials planned to visit Washington for talks on the Iran nuclear file, with the military option remaining on the table. The F-35 issue is particularly sensitive for Israel, which has long sought to maintain its qualitative military edge in the region. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russian S-400 air defense systems, and any restoration of Turkish access would require congressional approval and Israeli consent.
The exact timing of Hagest's arrival and the specifics of the F-35 discussion remain unconfirmed at this stage.
2 developments
- DevelopingTrump plans to restore Turkey's F-35 access during NATO summit, reports say
- StrongTrump expected to visit Turkey, meet Erdogan, hints at 'big bag of gifts' including F-35 deal
- StrongMisgav Institute analyst: Trump-Erdogan meeting should alarm Israel over potential F-35 deal
- StrongSecurity officials press Netanyahu to urgently speak with Trump over F-35 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.
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