US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. This move is likely to face strong resistance in Congress and from Israel, with Netanyahu having already expressed his opposition to the sale.
Background
The US had previously imposed sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russian air defense missiles, which led to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program. However, with President Donald Trump’s recent announcement to lift US sanctions on Turkey, the possibility of selling F-35s to Turkey has resurfaced.
Netanyahu has stated that the sale of F-35s to Turkey would disrupt the power balance in the Middle East, given Turkey’s aggressive aspirations in the region. The meeting between Hegseth and Netanyahu is expected to cover not only the F-35 sale but also discussions about Iran.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.