Roman Gofman, the director of Israel’s national intelligence agency Mossad, was in Washington, DC, on Friday pressing senior Trump administration officials to resume hostilities against Iran, Axios and Israeli media reported.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government lost its majority in recent elections, has urged President Donald Trump to restart the war rather than make a deal with Tehran. A recent call between the two leaders degenerated into a shouting match, according to numerous reports.
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Trump in recent days has opted for an apparent middle position, favored by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, between war and peace. The administration has sustained the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, which was recently expanded to cover land routes. On Thursday, Trump said the U.S. doesn’t need an Iran deal and directed Vice President J.D. Vance, who has led peace negotiations, to shift focus to domestic issues.
Bloomberg reported Thursday that Trump has come to see the strategy as opening an opportunity to “leave the conflict in limbo and walk away.” Some Middle East experts warn America’s economic pressure campaign risks provoking an Iranian attack or leading to an escalation spiral.
Oil prices remain elevated but are set for a second weekly decline as traders see diminished odds of another round of war. Brent crude opened at $95.84 on Friday. In America, the average price of regular gasoline was $3.87 per gallon, continuing a decline.
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