Netanyahu Warns of Shifting Power Balance in the Middle East
The diplomatic friction comes as US President Donald Trump prepares for a high-profile visit to Ankara for a NATO summit, a move Turkish officials view as a crucial window to revive their stalled defense acquisitions. Ankara is currently seeking dozens of jet engines and aiming for reinstatement into the elite F-35 fighter program, from which it was previously barred.
Netanyahu cautioned Washington against rewarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with cutting-edge military hardware, citing Erdogan's hostile rhetoric toward Israel. The Israeli leader emphasized that maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge and air superiority is fundamental to preserving stability across the volatile region.
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During an interview on Fox News, Netanyahu highlighted recent provocations from Ankara, including remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who publicly disparaged Israel's global standing. Despite these regional tensions, Donald Trump previously hinted at a willingness to accommodate Turkey's requests regarding F110 jet engines and its fifth-generation stealth fighter ambitions.
Turkey's defense strategy relies heavily on acquiring these engines for its domestic KAAN stealth fighter project, aiming to challenge the technological dominance of the US, China, and Russia. Washington originally expelled Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 following Ankara's controversial acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system.