From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
IDF formally opposes US plans to sell F-35 fighters to Saudi Arabia
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF submitted a formal position paper to Israel’s political echelon on Sunday, in which the Israeli Air Force presented an explicit objection to the US’s sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
The document was first reported by Ynet news, and later confirmed by the military.
According to the document, Israel’s air superiority could be eroded if other countries in the Middle East possess the advanced stealth aircraft, a point over which Israel has expressed concern several times in the past.
Israel is anxious to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region by having the most advanced aircraft, and in the past worked to prevent the sale of the F-35 to other nearby countries, including Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
The IDF confirms that it “presented its positions on the issue to the political echelon.”
Today, Israel is the only country in the Middle East with F-35s in its arsenal, currently operating 45 of the aircraft with another 30 units on order.
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump confirmed that Washington will be selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
Even if the sale goes through, it will likely take at least seven years for the first aircraft to be delivered.
The Times of Israel Community.