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Senior Israeli officials confirmed Tuesday that Israel has conveyed messages to the Trump administration opposing the potential sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, citing concerns over a possible erosion of Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.
The Israeli concerns come amid growing frustration over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Israel. In recent months, Erdogan has escalated his verbal attacks, most recently declaring, “May Allah destroy Zionist Israel,” and labeling the country a “terror state.”
During a joint press conference last month at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his fondness for Erdogan, saying, “I love him and he loves me. I told the prime minister: Bibi, if you have a problem with Turkey, I’ll help you solve it.”
Despite those assurances, Israeli officials say they see no American effort to curb Ankara’s antagonism, even as Washington maintains warm ties with Erdogan’s government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regularly speaks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Trump has remained in direct contact with Erdogan.
Meanwhile, Israel and Turkey have held two rounds of dialogue in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on the situation in Syria, with Azerbaijan acting as mediator. The U.S. has not been involved in those discussions, and no progress has been reported so far.
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Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. was strongly critical of Turkey, going so far as to block the sale of F-35s. But the Trump administration is now reportedly revisiting the deal, raising alarm in Jerusalem—especially given the broader U.S. consideration of selling the advanced aircraft to other Middle Eastern countries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue during a recent Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee briefing, confirming Israel’s opposition and ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent the deal. Committee members came away with the impression that the sale is all but finalized.
Recent reports also indicated that Turkish fighter jets flying over Syria issued warning messages to Israeli aircraft operating near Damascus, underscoring the growing strategic tension between the two countries.
In 2019, the U.S.—under Trump at the time—suspended Turkey from the F-35 program after Ankara insisted on acquiring the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Washington argued the S-400 posed a security threat to the F-35 program and risked exposing its capabilities to Russian intelligence, prompting a significant rift between the two NATO allies.