US President Donald Trump’s efforts to find an exit from the escalating conflict with Iran appear increasingly uncertain as he faces conflicting advice from key regional allies..While Saudi Arabia is urging Washington to pursue de-escalation, Israel is pressing for tougher action against Tehran, leaving Trump caught between diplomacy and the prospect of renewed military escalation. The conflicting messages come as the conflict continues to spread across the Middle East, with attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, drone strikes in Kuwait and fresh violence in Gaza.Trump has publicly insisted that Iran will eventually weaken despite the stalled diplomacy. “I think we just want to win,” the president said when asked how he planned to revive negotiations. “They’ll get weaker. They’ll get a little stronger maybe now. Then they’ll get weaker. And then they’ll peter out.”
Saudi Arabia urges restraint
According to CNN, the White House received sharply contrasting messages from two of Washington’s closest regional partners this week.Saudi defence minister Khalid bin Salman, during an unannounced visit to Washington, conveyed a message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urging the US to de-escalate the conflict, warning that prolonging the war carried significant risks for the region.Just a day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in the Oval Office and expressed scepticism that diplomacy with Iran would succeed. Instead, the two discussed ways to increase pressure on Tehran, including the possibility of renewing a full-scale war, CNN reported, citing Israeli officials.The contrasting meetings reflect the difficult choices confronting Trump as his self-imposed timeline for ending the conflict slips further away. According to CNN, prospects for direct US-Iran talks remain bleak, with a senior US official saying diplomacy does not appear imminent despite Trump’s repeated claims that Iran is “begging” for a deal.
Military escalation clouds diplomatic efforts
Even as Washington speaks about negotiations, military activity across the region continues to intensify.Trump warned on Friday that the United States would strike Iran “very hard” until Tehran “can’t take it anymore”, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Iran of violating an earlier understanding by attacking commercial shipping and killing American troops.Iranian-linked attacks have continued to raise concerns across the Gulf. Kuwait said its military responded to a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting vital facilities, while two separate incidents involving commercial vessels were reported in the Strait of Hormuz, including a tanker struck by an unidentified projectile.Meanwhile, Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza after Hamas announced it was prepared to disarm under a potential US-brokered agreement, although significant hurdles remain before any deal can be implemented.The broader conflict has also spread beyond Iran and Israel. Houthi rebels have disrupted shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while tensions remain high along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Growing frustration inside the White House
Behind the scenes, Trump’s frustration with the lack of progress has become increasingly evident.CNN reported that the president has grown angry over Tehran’s refusal to accept his demands, leading to heated internal meetings and expletive-filled phone calls with allies. The ongoing security threats have even forced changes to his travel plans, including switching Air Force One aircraft during his return from Turkey after intelligence pointed to heightened Iranian threats.The latest developments follow earlier reports by NBC News that Trump had privately vented to senior aides over the absence of a clear strategy for ending the conflict. “The president is exasperated,” a Trump ally told the broadcaster. “I don’t think he believed it was going to be this difficult to get the Iranians to agree to a deal. There was not a real strategy for how long or what they should do to get to the endpoint. He did not intend this to be a long, drawn-out war.“A US official also told NBC News that divisions within the administration have deepened. “After all this time, there is no unity.”