US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to make his first official visit to Israel on Wednesday as regional tensions escalate over Israeli concerns regarding potential F-35 stealth fighter jet sales to Turkey.
It remained unclear whether recent US military strikes against Iran would impact the visit’s timing or scheduling.
According to a CNN source, Hegseth is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
The source indicated that reassuring Israeli leaders about reports of potential F-35 approvals for Turkey would be a primary objective of the visit, following US President Donald Trump’s suggestions of strengthened defence cooperation with Turkey during the NATO summit in Ankara.
Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to such a sale to CNN, arguing that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is “not an ideal ally of the United States” and accusing him of threatening Israel.
Israel currently operates the US-built F-35 Lightning II in the Middle East, representing the most advanced combat aircraft in the American arsenal.
Any F-35 transfer to Turkey would require US government and Congressional approval and would mark a significant policy shift after Turkey’s removal from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 due to its acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
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