JERUSALEM, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government's recent indication that it may approve an F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia could reshape key dynamics in the Middle East's security landscape, with possible implications for Israel's qualitative military edge in the region.

So far, Israel remains the sole operator of F-35 jets in the Middle East, with 45 aircraft in service and another 30 on order. However, countries such as Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have already expressed strong interest in acquiring the advanced fighter from the United States.

If Washington approves the sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states-including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates-may also submit similar purchase requests.

From the U.S. perspective, approving the aircraft for one partner could make it harder to deny others, highlighting the delicate balance within U.S. regional alliances, according to some Israeli media analysis.

The Israeli Air Force has voiced concern that the sale could weaken Israel's regional air superiority. The Times of Israel reported that the first Saudi jets are unlikely to arrive before the early 2030s due to production schedules, but analysts note that the strategic implications are immediate: the mere prospect of a U.S. sale already erodes Israel's exclusivity with its most advanced fighter.

Dean Shmuel Elmas, research fellow at the Israel Center for Grand Strategy, said Israeli frustration over the potential deal partly stems from its expectation that U.S. policy should align with Israeli preferences.

But "the U.S. president is the president of the U.S., not the president of Israel," he noted, emphasizing that Washington's actions are driven by American interests and regional considerations that may diverge from Israel's views.

Israeli analyst Meir Swissa, in an article titled "F-35s are not enough: Israel must change its concept," also opined that the real question isn't whether Saudi Arabia will acquire F-35s -- Israel must ask itself a much deeper question: is it ready to adopt a new concept that does not rely on air power but on strategic vision.

Some analysts argue that Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza, combined with stalled progress on the Palestinian political front, have complicated normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia. As a result, Washington may be using incentives, such as a potential F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia, to signal its impatience.

During the recent visit to Washington, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made it clear that Riyadh seeks normalization while ensuring "a clear path toward a two-state solution," including Palestinian statehood.

In this context, the F-35 deal has become part of a broader diplomatic tapestry, intertwining U.S. security guarantees, potential Saudi-Israeli normalization, and renewed international efforts on the Palestinian issue.

Some analysts believe that for Israel, the key to transforming the potential downside of a U.S. F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia into a strategic advantage lies in its ability to advance normalization of relations with Riyadh.

By taking this step, Israel could turn what appears to be a damaging arms deal into its "greatest strategic opportunity." For now, however, Israeli political analyst Yossi Yehoshua said, those conditions have yet to be met.