U.S. Considers Restoring Turkey's Access to F-35 Program; Netanyahu Opposes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he opposes the possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. In an interview with CNN, Netanyahu stated that such a sale would destroy the power balance in the Middle East because Turkey has aggressive aspirations. U.S.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled a meeting scheduled for July 9 with Netanyahu that had been set to discuss the possible sale, an Israeli source told Reuters. The same source said Hegseth had also been scheduled to meet Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and that Iran would feature in the discussions. President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that he would lift U.S.

Sanctions imposed on Turkey over its 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 air defense missiles and signaled willingness to sell F-35 jets to the NATO member. Sales of the jets to Turkey remain blocked under U.S. law.

Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 system in 2019, after which the United States imposed sanctions on a Turkish defense company and removed Turkey from the F-35 program. Trump also said on July 8 that the memorandum of understanding signed to end the conflict the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran was over and that he did not want to engage with Tehran.

The U.S. embassy in Israel had no immediate comment on the canceled meetings.