Three months after the groundbreaking orchestrated launch of “Operation Epic Fury,” President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are finding it difficult to reach an accord on how to end the conflict in the Middle East.
In an interview with The New York Post’s “Pod Force One,” President Trump confirmed previous reports of tense conversations between the two leaders, affirming that he was “a little perturbed” over Israel’s conflict against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
According to U.S. officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), tensions between the two began on May 29, 2026, when President Trump gathered aides in the White House Situation Room.
President Trump urgently demanded a better peace proposal from Iran that would guarantee the Islamic Republic would never aim to develop a nuclear weapon, as well as a clear plan for the disposal of its nuclear stockpile.
The president’s imperativeness followed his Memorial Day announcement that a “largely negotiated” deal with Iran would be “announced shortly.”
Amid President Trump’s aims to reach a diplomatic agreement that would end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Netanyahu launched another major operation in Lebanon against the militant proxy group following Hezbollah’s string of drone attacks.
In a phone call with the Prime Minister, President Trump reportedly demanded that Israel stop attacks on Beirut.
As Netanyahu insisted on attacking the proxy group, President Trump reportedly raised his voice, ordering the Israeli Prime Minister to “obey because he would be in prison without the White House’s support.”
Despite the intense interactions between the two, President Trump insisted that their relationship was solid, affirming that they connect, in part, because they’re both “wartime” leaders.
“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump told The New York Post.
Timeline For The End of the War
Additionally, when discussing a potential timeline for the end of the conflict, President Trump “remained noncommittal,” stating that the Strait of Hormuz may still be blocked through Labor Day (Sept. 7, 2026), The Associated Press reported.
“I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labor Day), but I think it’s unlikely. I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” Trump said.
