As the war in Iran entered its fifth month, D. Trump’s frustration became increasingly evident. The end of the war, which he planned to finish in a few weeks, is still not in sight, according to presidential administration officials and others close to him.
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Some of D. Trump’s advisers are concerned that the war – which has driven up prices, lowered ratings, and killed more than a dozen US soldiers – casts a dark shadow over his presidency and harms the already slim Republican prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.
Over the past two weeks, Washington and Tehran have exchanged fire, further escalating the conflict after a fragile ceasefire agreement quickly collapsed. On Wednesday, Houthi fighters shelled two Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea, causing oil prices to surge.
D. Trump threatened Iran with “massive military punishment” if Houthi fighters continue their attacks.
The US is sending additional forces, medics, and weaponry to the Middle East so that D. Trump has more “muscle” in the region if he decides to escalate the conflict. Meanwhile, Iran has managed to withstand previous waves of strikes, and a long-term US military campaign threatens to completely deplete ammunition stocks and reduce public support.
“The United States signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, and they violated it, shelling commercial vessels and killing American soldiers. President Trump does not intend to stand by and allow such terrorist behavior to continue,” explained White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
She added that Iran is paying for its behavior and will continue to pay “until it sits down at the negotiating table in a way that President Trump deems meaningful.”
However, D. Trump’s anger is directed not only at Iran, which defies US will, but also at Israel.
“The war has heightened tensions in relations with Israel – Trump’s closest partner in this fight,” the article states.
The American leader has repeatedly publicly expressed his disappointment with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, statements like those sometimes heard by his advisers have never been made before: D. Trump does not want to talk to him or meet him.
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According to a high-ranking administration source at “The Wall Street Journal,” the Israelis tried to arrange a meeting between B. Netanyahu and D. Trump. It was expected that the Israeli Prime Minister would come to the US next week to attend Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral, but the plans are not yet finalized.
“The war has significantly affected the president himself and some of his senior advisers,” “The Wall Street Journal” continues, citing sources.
In mid-July, it became clear that the Israeli Prime Minister had canceled a planned visit to the US because his meeting with the US President could not be arranged.
“The meeting date was never set, nor were preliminary agreements reached on its agenda or expected outcomes,” explained Israeli television channel “I24”.
According to channel sources, “intensive efforts” were made to arrange a meeting between B. Netanyahu and D. Trump during the visit, but “these efforts ultimately failed.”
On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that the postponement of the visit was related to changes in the date of Senator L. Graham’s funeral. However, according to “I24”, the decision to cancel the visit was made not only for planning reasons.
The channel noted that the diplomatic situation significantly deteriorated after the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran collapsed.
“Currently, Netanyahu is not interested in a photo op at the White House. It’s just not the right time now,” the source admitted.
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