US President Donald Trump's administration approved the sale of advanced F-22 Raptor fighter jets to Israel, London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Friday.
The US reportedly rejected Israel's previous attempts to acquire the aircraft despite.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
In 2011, the US wound down the production of the model and banned its sales overseas. In 2014, the jets made their first combat sorties as part of the US campaign against the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria. It has also seen action in Afghanistan.
According to the Asharq Al-Awsat report, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper delivered the news to Israeli officials during a flash visit to Israel this week.
Washington also gave its nod to the prospect of selling precision-guided munitions to the Israel Defense Forces, the report said.
The move seeks to maintain Israel's qualitative military edge in the region after the US agreed to sell F-35 fighters to the United Arab Emirates, after it normalized diplomatic relations with the Jewish state in August.
The report has not been confirmed by any official Israeli or American source.
The F-22 is widely considered the finest tactical fighter aircraft in the world, which combines advanced weapons systems, aeronautical performance and stealth capabilities.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
