(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Saudi Arabia will acquire “top of the line” F-35 stealth fighter jets, signaling a decision that appears to bypass Israeli objections over the potential impact on Tel Aviv’s regional military advantage.

Trump told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the jets intended for Riyadh would be “pretty similar” to the models supplied to Israel, emphasizing that both countries are “great” US allies. "I know they'd like you to get planes of reduced caliber. I don't think that makes you too happy," Trump said.

"They've been a great ally. Israel's been a great ally, and we're looking at that exactly right now. But as far as I'm concerned, I think they are both at a level where they should get top of the line."

The announcement drew sharp criticism from the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), which argued that selling the fifth-generation jets to Riyadh “would substantially impair Israel's qualitative military edge and would put extremely sensitive American technology within reach of regimes that are hostile to US interests.” The group cited US law (22 US Code § 2776(h)), which obligates Washington to ensure Israel can confront regional threats with minimal losses.

The ZOA noted that Saudi Arabia’s request for 48 F-35s — reportedly exceeding the size of Israel’s current fleet — would directly challenge this legal requirement. While previous US administrations have debated advanced weapons sales to Gulf states, Washington has historically limited transfers to ensure Israel maintains a decisive technological and strategic advantage in the region.

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