Trump ‘Frustrated’ and May Take ‘Decisive Action’ Against Iran as Diplomacy Stalls, Israeli Media Reports
Citing impatience with Tehran’s negotiating stance, sources say the U.S. president is leaning toward ordering a final major military operation to end the war, cancelling personal plans as forces reportedly prepare for potential conflict over Memorial Day weekend.
WASHINGTON / TEL AVIV — U.S. President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the slow pace and apparent deadlock in diplomatic negotiations with Iran and is now seriously considering taking “decisive action” to break the impasse, according to multiple Israeli and U.S. media reports citing anonymous sources close to the president and his administration.
The reports, which first aired on Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 by analyst Barak Ravid and subsequently confirmed by Axios, CBS News, and other outlets, indicate a significant shift in White House posture. After pausing a planned massive strike last week at the request of Gulf allies to allow diplomacy a chance, Trump is now preparing for the possibility of returning to military operations.
A source close to Trump told Axios that the president has raised the possibility of a final “decisive” major military operation, after which he could declare victory and end the war. “He wants to finish this,” a source familiar with his thinking told The Times of Israel.
According to reports, Trump held a high-level meeting on Friday morning with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and other senior national security officials to discuss the status of negotiations and to review potential military scenarios should the talks collapse entirely.
‘Back and Forth’ Yields No Progress
The frustration stems from a diplomatic process that U.S. officials describe as “agonizing,” with written proposals being exchanged daily without any meaningful advancement on core disagreements. Despite the intense shuttle diplomacy led by Pakistan, Qatar, and other regional powers, the primary points of contention remain unresolved.
The major sticking points include:
| Issue | U.S. Position | Iran’s Position |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Program | Demand dismantlement or strict, verifiable long-term caps. | Refuse to send highly enriched uranium abroad. |
| Strait of Hormuz | Demand free navigation; reject Iranian “tolling” system. | Propose a control & toll system for economic leverage. |
| Sanctions | Full relief tied to a comprehensive, verifiable agreement. | Demand immediate lifting as part of any initial deal. |
| Regional Proxies | Demand rollback of support for Hezbollah & Houthis. | Refuse to cede regional influence as part of a nuclear deal. |
An U.S. official briefed on the state of the negotiations told Axios that the process has been “agonizing,” with drafts “going back and forth every day” without yielding a tangible breakthrough. Iran continues to insist it will not send its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — estimated to be enough material for more than ten nuclear warheads if further processed — out of the country, a non-negotiable red line for Washington.
A Shift from Diplomacy to the ‘Borderline’
This latest development marks a dramatic tonal shift from President Trump’s public posture just days ago. Last week, Trump announced he was pausing a planned massive strike on Iran after receiving personal appeals from the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, who argued that a diplomatic breakthrough was imminent.
However, after a tense phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, during which Netanyahu reportedly called the delay “a mistake,” Trump’s patience appears to have worn thin. On Wednesday, Trump described the situation as being “right on the borderline” between a deal and a return to war.
Defense officials cited by CBS News have noted that active preparations for a potential strike are already underway. Several U.S. military and intelligence officials have reportedly canceled their plans for the long Memorial Day weekend, remaining on standby in a possible prelude to an order to execute new combat missions.
Potential ‘Decisive Action’ Scenarios
According to sources cited by The New York Times and Axios, the military options being weighed could differ significantly from the limited strikes of the past. A ‘decisive’ operation could be designed to be the final major act of the war.
Potential targets being discussed among U.S. planners include:
- Iran’s Energy Sector: Targeting critical oil refineries, like the one on Lavan Island, or export terminals (Kharg Island) to cripple the regime’s primary source of revenue.
- Underground Nuclear Facilities: A final, potentially larger-scale attempt to destroy buried enrichment centrifuge facilities that have survived previous bombings.
- Command & Control Centers: Strikes aimed at decapitating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership to destabilize the regime’s ability to retaliate.
The White House has declined to comment on operational planning, but Press Secretary Anna Kelly reiterated that the President has been “very clear about the consequences if Iran fails to make a deal”.
Netanyahu’s Frustration and U.S.-Israel Rift
The reports of Trump’s renewed consideration of military action come amid a noticeable cooling in the typically tight U.S.-Israel relationship over the handling of the war.
According to a bombshell report in the New York Times on Saturday, Israel has been “completely sidelined” from the U.S.-Iran negotiations. After being a full partner in the war room during the initial strikes, Israeli officials now say they are forced to rely on their own surveillance and third-party diplomats to learn the details of the American negotiating position.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be deeply skeptical that diplomacy will achieve Israel’s security goals. During their phone call on Tuesday, Netanyahu reportedly told Trump he believed the delay in strikes was a “mistake” and that the only path to eliminating the threat posed by Tehran was to continue military pressure.
“He expressed real frustration that the diplomacy is dragging out,” an Israeli source told ThePrint, adding that Netanyahu is worried a deal will ultimately resemble the 2015 nuclear agreement — leaving Iran with a threshold capability and billions in sanctions relief that could be funneled to proxies like Hezbollah.
A Final Decision Not Yet Made
Despite the aggressive posture and preparation for war, the sources caution that a final decision on resuming the massive strikes has not yet been made. Pakistan’s Army Chief continues to travel between Tehran and Washington carrying messages, while Qatar is also attempting to bridge the remaining gaps.
However, the window for a breakthrough appears to be closing rapidly. Reports that a final draft agreement is ready to be announced “within hours” have been repeatedly contradicted by Iranian officials, who deny that a deal is close.
President Trump himself is canceling personal appearances to remain in the White House, citing “circumstances pertaining to Government” to explain his absence from his son’s wedding.
“Either we have a deal, or we do some things that are a bit unpleasant,” Trump said earlier this week. As the diplomatic back-and-forth yields no movement and military assets remain in position, the coming days will determine whether peace talks survive or the region enters a volatile new chapter of escalation.