US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Saudi Arabia will not receive the most advanced model of F-35 fighters, which European countries have, but a more basic version, the publication “Axios“ reported, BTA reported.
Earlier, the US president promised Riyadh to deliver the most advanced fifth-generation fighters to strengthen the kingdom's security. This statement by Trump caused concern in Israel – the only country in the Middle East that currently has such military aircraft.
According to “Axios“ Rubio has promised to hold additional talks with Israel to convince it that the arms deal with Saudi Arabia will not undermine the qualitative military superiority (QMS) of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Middle East - something that is enshrined in US law.
In this regard, Washington continues to adhere to the concept of preserving the regional balance of power in favor of the Jewish state.
“We told the Israelis that we are committed to the QMS and we will not violate it“, a senior US official added to the publication.
On November 18, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited the White House for the first time since 2018 and held a series of talks with Trump. During the visit, numerous agreements were signed in the fields of economy and defense.
The American president stated that the United States has granted Saudi Arabia the status of a major ally of Washington outside of NATO.
On the eve of the meeting, “Axios“ reported, citing Israeli sources, that in the event of the delivery of F-35 to Riyadh, the Jewish state will request additional security guarantees from Washington. In particular, the fighters delivered to the kingdom should not be stationed at Saudi air bases in the western parts of the country, which are closest to the territory of Israel.