WASHINGTON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering a Saudi Arabian request to buy as many as 48 F-35 fighter jets, a potential multi-billion-dollar deal that has cleared a key Pentagon hurdle ahead of a visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, two sources familiar with the matter said.

A sale would mark a significant policy shift, potentially altering the military balance in the Middle East and testing Washington's definition of maintaining Israel's "qualitative military edge."

Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal earlier this year to U.S. President Donald Trump and has long been interested in Lockheed Martin's LMT.N fighter, one of the people and a U.S. official said. The Pentagon is now weighing a potential sale of 48 of the advanced aircraft, the U.S. official and th

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