Trump and Netanyahu clash over future of Iran war in tense phone call

US media reports say that Trump and Netanyahu are in disagreement about the way forward on Iran. (Photo/AP)

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense phone conversation on Tuesday that underscored major differences on how to handle the ongoing war with Iran, according to US media reports.

The call came after Trump had informed Netanyahu during a Sunday conversation that he was preparing to launch new targeted strikes on Iran early in the week, an operation expected to be dubbed Operation Sledgehammer, according to previous CNN reporting.

However, Trump later announced he was calling off the planned Tuesday strikes following requests from key Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In the days since, these countries have been engaged in intensive mediation efforts alongside White House officials and Pakistan to develop a framework for renewed diplomatic talks, sources familiar with the discussions said.

During the hour-long Tuesday call, Netanyahu told Trump that postponing the strikes was a mistake and urged him to proceed with military action as originally planned, according to a US official and an Israeli source.

“The divergence was clear, Trump wants to see if a deal can be reached, but Netanyahu was expecting something else,” an Israeli official told CNN.

Axios was the first to report the tense phone call.

Differences between Washington and Tel Aviv

“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty. But hopefully that won’t happen.”

Netanyahu, who has consistently advocated for a far more aggressive military posture against Tehran, has grown increasingly frustrated with the delays, which he believes only strengthen Iran’s position.

Frustration within Netanyahu’s inner circle has intensified, with senior Israeli officials pushing strongly for renewed strikes and expressing irritation at what they describe as Iran’s diplomatic delays, another Israeli source told CNN.

This is not the first time differences have emerged between Washington and Tel Aviv.

US officials have previously acknowledged that the two allies do not always share the same objectives regarding Iran.

When asked on Wednesday about his conversation with Netanyahu, Trump asserted his control over the situation, saying, “He’ll do whatever I want him to do.”

Trump has so far continued to pursue a diplomatic path, stating that developments with Iran are “right on the borderline” and that giving negotiations a few more days could save lives.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Tehran and Washington continue to exchange messages through Pakistani channels.

However, significant gaps remain between the two sides. Iran has not softened its core demands, while issues concerning its nuclear programme and frozen assets were still unresolved earlier this week, a regional source indicated.

Trump has continued to keep military options on the table, warning, “If we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go.”

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Source: TRT