F-35 deal with Turkey sparks Hegseth-Netanyahu talks

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will discuss the possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey ​on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a source ‌familiar with the matter told Reuters, a sale likely to anger Israeli officials.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity ​of the matter, said Hegseth was also scheduled to meet ​Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and that Iran would ⁠feature in their discussions.

In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Netanyahu ​said he opposed the sale of F-35s to Turkey, and that ​he had made his opposition clear to Trump.

"It would destroy the power balance in the Middle East because Turkey has aggressive aspirations," Netanyahu told CNN.
Turkey, a ​NATO member, has long criticised Israeli operations in Gaza, Lebanon ​and Syria, and it has repeatedly accused Israel of trying to undermine the U.S.-Iran ‌ceasefire ⁠deal mediated by Pakistan.

President Donald Trump, who is attending a NATO summit in Turkey, announced on Tuesday he would lift U.S. sanctions imposed on Ankara over its 2019 purchase of Russian air defense missiles, and ​he signalled a willingness ​to sell ⁠the NATO ally F-35 fighter jets, a move likely to face strong resistance in Congress as well ​as in Israel.

Bilateral relations had deteriorated sharply over ​Turkey's acquisition ⁠of the Russian S-400 system, which prompted the U.S. to impose sanctions on a major Turkish defense company and remove Ankara from ⁠the F-35 ​stealth fighter jet program.

Ties have improved ​markedly since Trump's return to the White House in January 2025 but the jet sales ​remain blocked under U.S. law.

-Reuters