Why Trump’s $24.3 billion Saudi F-35 deal is raising concerns in US, Israel

The Trump administration’s approval of a potential $24.3 billion sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia has put a long-pursued defence deal on a new track.The proposed package includes 48 F-35 aircraft and 49 engines, but the sale is not final yet and still faces congressional review. If approved, Saudi Arabia would become only the second country in the Middle East to operate the advanced fighter after Israel.The decision is significant because the F-35 is one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the US arsenal, and its proposed transfer to Saudi Arabia would mark a major expansion of the kingdom’s air warfare capabilities.The deal has also renewed scrutiny over its potential impact on the Middle East’s military balance, Saudi Arabia’s growing ties with China and the protection of sensitive US defence technology.According to Reuters, Trump administration had already agreed to a separate $142 billion defence package with…