Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly warned that giving F-35 fighter jets to Turkey would destroy the regi...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly warned that giving F-35 fighter jets to Turkey would destroy the regional balance of power in the Middle East, according to reports from Proto Thema and iefimerida. Netanyahu stated plainly that Turkey under Erdogan remains hostile to the United States and poses a direct threat to Israel. He made clear that whatever personal rapport exists between Trump and Erdogan does not change Turkey's fundamental posture as an adversary. The Israeli PM framed Turkey's military ambitions as a danger not just to Israel, but to the wider region. In his remarks, Netanyahu pointed specifically to Turkey's occupation of Cyprus and its threats against Greece as evidence of Erdogan's expansionist agenda. He argued that arming Ankara with next-generation F-35 stealth aircraft under these conditions would be a serious strategic mistake. The statement puts Netanyahu in direct conflict with any potential US decision to sell advanced aircraft to Turkey. The backdrop to this is the long-running US debate over whether to sell F-35s to Turkey after Ankara was removed from the program in 2019 for purchasing the Russian S-400 missile defense system. Turkey has repeatedly pushed for reinstatement into the program, framing it as a matter of NATO alliance commitments. The Israeli PM's remarks represent a high-profile public intervention against that outcome. Netanyahu's direct reference to Cyprus and Greece is notable. It signals that Tel Aviv increasingly views the eastern Mediterranean as a single strategic theater, where Turkish military expansion threatens both Israeli and European interests. Greece and Israel have deepened their defense and intelligence ties significantly over recent years as a counterweight to Turkish regional ambitions. #Greece #Turkey #F35