U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening that his patience is running out and hinting that more is to come, but nearly a week after declaring Iran’s proposal in negotiations “totally unacceptable,” he has yet to decide whether to resume strikes against the country. Israeli officials said on Saturday they believe the chances of renewed fighting in the coming days stand at “50-50,” underscoring how much depends on the decision of one man alone.
Amid what appears to be a deadlock in talks and growing frustration on Trump’s part, indications are increasing that he may order military action against Iran after concluding Tehran is unwilling to accept his terms.
US President Donald Trump, Fox News interview on Iran nuclear
(Photo: From X)
On his Truth Social account overnight, Trump posted an image of himself aboard a ship in stormy seas alongside the caption: “It was the calm before the storm.”
Meanwhile, Israel and the U.S. are conducting intensive preparations for a possible resumption of fighting, with coordination talks taking place at the highest levels of the IDF and the Mossad. Israeli officials said the military is at peak readiness for renewed conflict.
At the same time, assessments in Israel suggest Trump is unlikely to go “all in” with an order to renew fighting aimed at toppling the regime. “He won’t do now what he didn’t do for 42 days. He’s stuck,” officials said.
According to those officials, “Iran has restored some of its missile capabilities. Iran is not willing to accept Trump’s conditions and give up its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions and receiving billions of dollars. Iran paid a heavy price for its ideology and still believes in it. In retrospect, the assassination of Ali Khamenei did not lead to the collapse of the regime, and the Iranian government proved stable, entrenched and capable of quickly recovering from the elimination of its leaders and rebuilding its chain of command.”
Israeli assessments therefore suggest Trump will likely settle for a limited strike, such as attacks on power stations and bridges. From the American perspective, this would constitute significant damage to Iran. Trump may also authorize a ground operation, although officials say he is wary of becoming entangled in a broader conflict.
If he orders a ground operation, two options are reportedly being considered: a mission to retrieve enriched uranium buried deep underground and a takeover of Kharg oil island. Another possibility is the renewal of “Operation Freedom” to rescue vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. What appears certain, officials said, is the continuation — and possibly intensification — of the siege on Iran in order to increase economic pressure on the ayatollah regime.
“The problem is that once fighting resumes, nobody knows where it could lead. There’s a 50% chance it erupts and a 50% chance it doesn’t. And if it does erupt, nobody knows how intense it will become or how far it will spread,” Israeli officials said.
“Israel is preparing for renewed fighting with no margin for error — and we will not be caught by surprise,” they added.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held a series of security discussions in recent days regarding preparations for renewed fighting. However, aside from one meeting of the smaller security cabinet, Netanyahu has avoided convening the broader cabinet over the past week. Officials suggested this may be an effort to lull the enemy into complacency.
The assessment is that Iran will attempt to entangle the U.S. so that any military confrontation drags on until after the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, June 11. Trump, by contrast, would prefer to end the conflict before the tournament begins, with the U.S. hosting the event alongside Canada and Mexico.
Although Trump denies that domestic pressure in the U.S. to end the war because of its economic consequences is influencing his decisions on Iran, a White House official reportedly acknowledged that he is under “enormous pressure,” while Republicans fear the conflict could further damage their chances of maintaining control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Trump’s expected decision comes after his visit to China, where some in the U.S. administration had hoped Beijing would pressure Tehran into compromise. But reports reaching Israel suggest that despite American claims about assurances allegedly received from the Chinese, China is actually the biggest beneficiary of the conflict and fears a nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Iran could redirect Iranian oil — most of which is currently purchased by China — toward Western markets.
According to the assessment, this is a scenario Beijing cannot accept. “If Trump releases hundreds of billions of dollars to Iran for reconstruction, he will have defeated the Chinese,” officials said. “In other words, the Chinese will not really help Trump convince Iran to accept his demands in an agreement.”
“I'm not going to be patient much longer. They have to make a deal,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News. In the same interview he also hinted at possible future targets if he gives the green light for renewed strikes: “We hit them unbelievably hard. Look, we left their bridges. We left their electricity capacity. We can knock that all out in two days. Two days.”
The The New York Times reported over the weekend, citing Middle Eastern officials, that the U.S. and Israel are engaged in intensive preparations — the most extensive since the ceasefire took effect — for a possible renewal of strikes on Iran, potentially as early as this week.
According to the report, Trump’s senior advisers have prepared plans for a return to military strikes if he decides to break the stalemate through additional bombings, though he has not yet made a final decision on next steps. Later, CNN reported there are still disagreements within the administration regarding the proper course forward.
Some officials, including figures within the Pentagon, support a more aggressive approach involving strikes in hopes it would pressure Iran into concessions, while others favor continuing diplomacy.
Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that although Iran has shown no willingness to shift from its position — which has remained largely unchanged since talks between the sides began — the American president is becoming increasingly impatient.
According to those sources, Trump is especially angry that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and is also frustrated by apparent divisions within the Iranian leadership, which U.S. officials believe are complicating negotiations.
Trump voiced that frustration, saying: “We really had the confines of a deal; no nuclear, they were going to give us the dust... and every time they'd make a deal, the next day it's like we didn't have that conversation... they're crazy, and you know what? Because of that, they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”