Aletho News

Israel seeks ‘compensation’ from Washington over Saudi F-35 sale

The Cradle | September 18, 2026

Israel is expected to seek “compensation” from the US in the form of weapons systems that Washington has so far declined to sell to Tel Aviv, in response to US plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a $25 billion deal, Walla reported on 18 September.

A source familiar with the matter told the Hebrew news outlet that the Israeli military would prefer that no other country in West Asia receive the F-35 to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) in the region.

The deal marks the first time an Arab state gains access to the F-35, the US military’s most advanced warplane.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region,” the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.

Even if the deal is signed soon, Saudi Arabia would receive its first F-35s only in five years and without all the enhancements Israel has for its fleet of the warplanes, US officials told Middle East Eye (MEE).

Using the deal as leverage, Tel Aviv intends to ask Washington to allow it to participate in the development and production of classified US weapons systems, including space-based weapons, the source speaking with Walla said.

Israel will also ask the US to participate in the development and production of some of its own weapons systems, including missile interceptors for the Arrow 4 and Arrow 5 systems.

Additionally, Israel wants access to advanced munitions that Washington has so far declined to sell to Tel Aviv, including bunker-busting weapons designed to penetrate through mountains deep underground, autonomous strike systems, and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Israel may also seek funding to finance a third F-15 squadron and additional F-35 squadrons, which Israeli officials say they are currently struggling to do.

At the same time, the source speaking with Walla said that the Saudi purchase of F-35s would not threaten Israel’s qualitative military edge.

Israel continues to hold a clear operational advantage over other countries that have purchased the aircraft from the US due to the extensive operational experience accumulated by the Israeli Air Force and its pilots while carrying out the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the bombing of Lebanon and Iran.

One Israeli defense official sought to play down concerns, saying that Israel’s advantage lies “not just in the machine, but mainly in the people.”

Tel Aviv has also received Washington’s approval to integrate Israeli-made weapons systems into its Adir aircraft, the Israeli version of the F-35.

MEE notes that the sale has raised concerns among some in the US defense and intelligence community who believe China could gain access to critical US technologies through espionage if Saudi Arabia is allowed to operate the warplane.

September 18, 2026 - Posted by aletho | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | Israel, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, United States, Zionism