U.S. President Donald Trump said on November 17 that he plans to approve the sale of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, one day before hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for diplomatic talks. "I will say that we will be doing that. We'll be selling the F-35s," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The potential sale, requested by Saudi Arabia for up to 48 aircraft, would represent a major policy shift and could reshape the military balance in the Middle East, raising questions about Washington's commitment to preserving Israel's "qualitative military edge." The deal has already passed a key Pentagon review ahead of the crown prince's visit.