US defense chief cancels planned ‘Israel’ visit: Hebrew media
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- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has cancelled his planned visit to ‘Israel’, according to ‘Israeli’ Channel 12.
- The visit was expected to address concerns over a possible US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has cancelled a planned visit to ‘Israel’, according to ‘Israeli’ Channel 12, amid tensions over a potential US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye.
The visit, which would have been Hegseth’s first to ‘Israel’ since taking office, was reportedly intended to ease ‘Israeli’ concerns over Ankara’s possible acquisition of the advanced stealth aircraft.
Earlier this week, ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that providing F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye could “destroy the balance of power in the Middle East” by weakening ‘Israel’s’ military edge.
Netanyahu also cited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s repeated criticism of ‘Israel’, saying Turkiye was “not a friendly state.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them a “disinformation campaign” aimed at undermining Turkiye’s defense requests and distracting from ongoing regional tensions.
The cancellation comes as Washington continues to navigate defense ties with both ‘Israel’ and Turkiye amid wider Middle East security concerns.
