Trump, Netanyahu hold tense phone call over Iran war strategy

US President Donald Trump had a tense phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday (19 May), reflecting their differing views on how to proceed with the Iran war, a US official told CNN.

It was not their first conversation in recent days. During a call on Sunday, Trump told Netanyahu he was likely to move ahead with new targeted attacks on Iran early in the week, the official said. The operation, according to previous CNN reporting, was expected to be renamed Operation Sledgehammer.

However, around 24 hours later, Trump announced he was pausing the strikes planned for Tuesday at the request of Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In recent days, those Gulf nations have remained in close contact with White House and Pakistani mediators to develop a framework for further diplomatic talks, according to the US official and another person familiar with the matter.

"We're in the final stages of Iran. We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters yesterday morning (20 May) regarding efforts to secure a deal.

"We'll either have a deal or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty," he added. "But hopefully that won't happen."

The ongoing negotiations have frustrated Netanyahu, who has long supported a tougher approach toward Iran. According to Trump officials and Israeli sources, Netanyahu believes delays only benefit Tehran.

The US official said Netanyahu expressed his disappointment during Tuesday's call, telling Trump he believed postponing the expected attacks was a mistake and that the president should proceed as planned. During the hour-long discussion, Netanyahu urged a return to military action, an Israeli source familiar with the matter said. An Israeli official added that the difference between the two leaders was clear. Trump wants to see whether a deal can be reached, while Netanyahu expects a different course of action.

CNN has contacted the White House for comment.

Iran 'reviewing' US proposal

Concern within Israel following Tuesday's conversation extended beyond Netanyahu himself, another Israeli source told CNN. The source said there is strong support within senior levels of the Israeli government for renewed military action, along with growing frustration that Trump continues to allow what they describe as Iran's diplomatic stalling.

Sources familiar with Trump and Netanyahu's discussions said the Israeli leader's frustration with the US approach, particularly Trump issuing threats before later pausing action, is not new. US officials have previously acknowledged that Washington and Israel have different objectives regarding the conflict.

Asked yesterday what he told Netanyahu during their conversation the previous night, Trump suggested he remained in control.

"He'll do whatever I want him to do," the US president said.

Despite Netanyahu's pressure to resume military operations, Trump has continued, for now, to pursue a diplomatic agreement. Yesterday, he said the situation with Iran was "right on the borderline" and that diplomacy deserved a few more days if it could save lives.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said yesterday that Tehran and Washington have continued exchanging messages through Pakistan, according to the state-affiliated Nour News outlet.

"Based on Iran's initial 14-point text, messages have been exchanged on several occasions, and we have received the American side's viewpoints and are currently reviewing them," spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said.

According to Iran's ISNA news agency, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir is expected to travel to Tehran today (21 May) as part of ongoing mediation efforts between the US and Iran.

Pakistan has played a central role in efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict, including hosting high-level face-to-face talks in April between US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

However, it remains unclear whether any major differences between the two sides have been resolved. A regional source said Iran has not moved away from its key demands, while issues involving its nuclear programme and frozen assets remained unresolved earlier this week.

Trump has also repeatedly indicated that military action remains possible.

"If we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go," he said yesterday.