Khaberni - Israeli officials have revealed Tel Aviv's conditions for approving the United States' sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, linking the deal to the normalization of relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
This was reported by American media in conjunction with preparations for the upcoming visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington scheduled for November 18, 2025.
Media reports have indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince are expected to reach an agreement on the sale of F-35 jets to Riyadh during this visit.
The website "Axios" quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying: "Israel does not oppose the sale of American F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, but it wants the sale to be linked to the normalization of the kingdom's relations with Tel Aviv."
The official added that "transferring F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia without diplomatic concessions in return would be ineffective and wrong."
This comes at a time when the Pentagon has expressed concerns that the fighter jet deal might threaten Israel's military superiority in the Middle East, as Israel remains the only country in the region that possesses F-35 jets.
These developments are part of ongoing efforts by the United States since 2020 to normalize relations between Israel and Arab states through what is known as the "Abraham Accords for Peace," which so far include the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, while Sudanese authorities have expressed interest in joining without completing the final signature with Israel.
In addition to concerns about Israel's status, another risk is raised in an intelligence report issued by the Pentagon, which warns that China could obtain advanced technology from the fighter jet through espionage or through its security partnership with Saudi Arabia if the sale is completed.
The newspaper explains that military relations between China and Saudi Arabia are already established, as the Chinese military assists the kingdom in building and acquiring more advanced ballistic missiles.
