Hegseth Heads To ’Israel’ Amid Turkey F-35 Dispute

By Staff, Agencies

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to visit "Israel" on Wednesday to discuss its concerns over a potential US sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, according to CNN and Axios.

The trip, which marks Hegseth’s first visit to "Israel" since assuming the role of Pentagon chief, is expected to include meetings with "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and War Minister Yisrael Katz. In addition to the Turkey dossier, Hegseth and "Israeli" leaders are also expected to discuss Iran.

This comes amid reports that US President Donald Trump is considering reversing the ban on Turkey from the F-35 program, raising concerns from "Israel" regarding the military parity and the balance of power in the region.

Meanwhile, Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week that he is prepared to restore Turkey to the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, according to a New York Times report citing four senior administration officials.

The move would reverse a ban that Trump himself imposed seven years ago.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 systems, with Washington citing concerns over potential risks to the jet's stealth technology.

Officials said Trump is likely to at least signal his intent to transfer the jets to Turkey, though the timing remains unclear. They cautioned that the president, known for his unpredictability, could still change his mind.

Any return to the F-35 program requires Turkey to remove its S-400 systems under a 2020 US law, with options including transferring or disabling the missiles after a plan to send them to Ukraine collapsed.

Turkey has lobbied for years to rejoin the F-35 program but has refused to relinquish the Russian air defenses. It remains a NATO ally and hosts a US base where tactical nuclear weapons are stored.

Earlier on Tuesday, "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Washington to prevent Turkey from rejoining the F-35 program, claiming the move would upset the regional balance of power and weaken "Israel's" military edge.

He also accused President Erdogan of hostile policies toward "Israel" and criticized his government's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.