US Defense Secretary Austin Visits Israel to Reassure on F-35 Sales to Turkey

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit Israel today for his first trip to the country since taking office, according to three sources cited by CNN. During his visit, Austin is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz. A key objective of the visit is to address Israeli concerns regarding the potential sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey by the United States. Austin is currently attending the NATO summit in Turkey alongside US President Donald Trump.