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Türkiye’s signing of a comprehensive memorandum of understanding with the United Kingdom to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon jets has triggered concerns in Israel, where officials and media are warning about a shifting military balance in the region.
The move follows Türkiye's recent activation of its national air defense system—often compared to Israel’s Iron Dome—and the unveiling of the domestically produced Tayfun Block-4 hypersonic ballistic missile by Turkish defense contractor Roketsan.
Citing unnamed defense officials, The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel views the Eurofighter deal as "a clear and worrying indicator that Türkiye is accelerating its military buildup in a way that challenges Israel’s military superiority."
The Eurofighter Typhoon is considered one of the most advanced 4.5-generation multirole fighter jets in the world. Analysts say the platform will enhance Türkiye’s operational agility and boost its regional deterrence.
The MoU is seen as a key milestone in Türkiye’s military modernization efforts, which also include advancements in drone capabilities and naval systems—developments that Israeli defense circles are reportedly tracking closely.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) party, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for not acting to prevent the deal.
“If Israel had a functional foreign ministry or a competent government, the UK and Germany would not have moved forward with this Eurofighter agreement with Türkiye,” Lapid said, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
Germany and the UK are among the four partner nations in the Eurofighter consortium, along with Italy and Spain.
In addition to acquiring Eurofighters, Türkiye is also in discussions with the United States to resolve the F-35 fighter jet impasse, and continues to develop its fifth-generation stealth aircraft Kaan.
Despite Israeli efforts to prevent Türkiye from acquiring F-35s, Tom Barrack, the US Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Türkiye, recently suggested that a resolution could be reached by the end of the year.
“Israel fears that such deals could erode its qualitative military edge,” one Israeli official told Maariv.
Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that Türkiye’s recent actions—including the Eurofighter agreement, the unveiling of the long-range Tayfun Block-4 missile, and security cooperation discussions with the Syrian government—are being closely monitored in Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, Maariv suggested that Türkiye’s defense posture could "reshuffle the strategic deck" in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Greek officials also reportedly uneasy about the shift.
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