Trump Confirms F-35 Sale to Saudis as Israel Urges Safeguards

Former U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he intends to proceed with a high-stakes arms deal to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia a move that has triggered immediate concern in Israel over preserving its strategic military advantage in the region.

“They want to buy, and I plan to sell them. Saudi Arabia is an incredible ally,” Trump stated, just ahead of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s expected visit to the White House.

The announcement sent ripples through Jerusalem, where Israeli officials have long monitored discussions about advanced arms sales to Arab states. While the U.S. reportedly consulted Israel in advance and pledged that any Saudi-bound F-35s would arrive years later and lack certain sensitive Israeli Air Force modifications Israel remains cautious.

Jerusalem is urging Washington to condition the sale on Saudi Arabia’s full entry into the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered framework for normalization with Israel. “Expanding the circle of peace partners must be a prerequisite if such transformative weaponry is to change hands,” said one senior Israeli official.

Aharon Lapidot, a former Israeli Air Force commander and respected security analyst, warned that such a deal would mark more than just another arms sale. “If Saudi Arabia indeed joins the select club that holds the American stealth fighter, the implication is not just another advanced jet in the region; it is a change in the basis of the balance of power,” he said.

Lapidot emphasized that Israel’s caution is not rooted in distrust of Saudi Arabia, but in its obligation to secure its long-term strategic edge a doctrine enshrined in U.S. law and vital to maintaining regional stability. That edge, built largely on Israel’s exclusive access to advanced American platforms like the F-35, underpins the IDF’s operational superiority.

Riyadh is believed to be seeking up to 48 F-35 Lightning II jets, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to make his case directly during high-level meetings in Washington.

Currently, Israel is the sole Middle Eastern operator of the fifth-generation fighter jet a position that grants the Jewish state superior aerial capabilities, including deep-strike precision, stealth survivability, and real-time intelligence integration.

As the Biden administration considers furthering U.S.-Saudi ties, the coming days will reveal whether strategic realignment can coexist with unwavering support for Israel’s qualitative military edge. That edge is not just about hardware it’s about safeguarding the nation’s ability to defend itself, by itself.

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