One of the main reasons for Israel’s concern remains US President Donald Trump’s plans to sell Turkey advanced fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter jets. According to CNN, the Israeli side is actively seeking to persuade its allies in Washington to block this deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly addressed this issue in an interview with Fox News, stating that supplying such weapons to a “regime infected with the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood” could upset the balance of power in the Middle East, which, according to him, is ensured by the superiority of the Israeli Air Force and the US military presence in the region.

As a source in the Israeli leadership told CNN, Netanyahu also raised this issue during private talks with Trump, arguing that a possible sale of F-35s to Turkey could weaken Israel’s qualitative military edge.

According to the channel’s source, the US administration indicated that even if the deal is approved, its implementation would take a considerable amount of time.