Israeli security officials are pressing Prime Minister Netanyahu to hold an urgent call with President Trump regarding the possibility that the U.S. will approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, according to the source. The officials warn the deal could erode Israel's qualitative air superiority in the region and shift the Middle East strategic balance.
Israeli security officials are pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to urgently call President Donald Trump over the potential U.S. sale of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Turkey, a single source reported Tuesday afternoon. The officials warn that if Ankara receives the stealth aircraft, Israel's qualitative air superiority in the region could be undermined, marking a significant shift in the Middle Eastern balance of power.
The push comes after a day of intensifying activity on the issue. As The Zioneer reported Tuesday at 05:51 Jerusalem, the New York Times said Trump was expected to signal readiness to return Turkey to the F-35 program. Later Monday evening, at 22:27 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Netanyahu had asked Trump to block the sale ahead of the NATO summit, and that Israel's diplomatic campaign to stop the deal had escalated. The newly reported pressure from security officials adds internal pressure on the prime minister to act directly with the president.
Earlier background context, as The Zioneer reported on June 25, included analysis warning that Trump's renewed push for the sale threatens Israel's air supremacy, citing risks of technology leakage to Russia and Iran. A former senior Israeli Air Force officer also urged the government to block the deal that same day.
It remains unclear whether a call has been scheduled or what Trump's position is. No official Israeli or U.S. confirmation of the reported pressure was available, and the source remains single and unattributed.
4 developments
- DevelopingFormer Israeli Air Force official urges government to block potential US F-35 sale to Turkey
- StrongAnalysis: Trump's renewed push for F-35 sale to Turkey threatens Israel's air supremacy in the Mediterranean
- StrongIsrael's diplomatic campaign to block F-35 sale to Turkey intensifies
- StrongNetanyahu tells Fox News: Erdogan threatens Israel, Greece, Cyprus, destabilizes region; should not get F-35
Source and signal
- Internal intake