{"id":62281,"date":"2026-05-23T13:38:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/netanyahu-urges-trump-to-strike-iran-as-framework-deal-nears-final-stage\/62281\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T13:38:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T17:38:24","slug":"netanyahu-urges-trump-to-strike-iran-as-framework-deal-nears-final-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/netanyahu-urges-trump-to-strike-iran-as-framework-deal-nears-final-stage\/62281\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu Urges Trump to Strike Iran as Framework Deal Nears Final Stage"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Donald Trump is reportedly &quot;50\/50&quot; on whether to sign a framework agreement with Iran or launch a &quot;decisive&quot; military strike to end the conflict.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed &quot;extreme concern&quot; regarding the emerging deal and is actively urging the White House to resume airstrikes against Iranian infrastructure.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>A Pakistan-mediated &quot;letter of intent&quot; is in its final stages, potentially reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. naval blockade in exchange for nuclear concessions.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted violent raids on Al-Mahmoudiya in southern Lebanon on May 23, signaling continued regional volatility despite a fragile ceasefire.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy markets remain on high alert as the potential for renewed conflict threatens to keep oil prices elevated, impacting the United States Oil Fund (<a href=\"\/stock\/USO\">USO<\/a>).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Israeli Prime Minister <strong>Benjamin Netanyahu<\/strong> has reportedly urged U.S. President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> to launch a new round of military strikes on <strong>Iran<\/strong>, expressing deep skepticism over a proposed diplomatic framework. According to reports from <em>Axios<\/em>, Netanyahu and his senior aides are in constant contact with the <strong>White House<\/strong> as the administration weighs a &quot;letter of intent&quot; that could formally end the current state of war.<\/p>\n<p>President Trump described the current situation as a &quot;solid 50\/50&quot; between reaching a &quot;good&quot; deal or choosing to &quot;blow them to kingdom come.&quot; On Friday, May 22, 2026, Trump convened a high-level meeting with Vice President <strong>JD Vance<\/strong>, Secretary of Defense <strong>Pete Hegseth<\/strong>, and CIA Director <strong>John Ratcliffe<\/strong> to review military targets, including <strong>Iran&#39;s energy sector<\/strong> and restored missile launch sites.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed agreement, mediated primarily by <strong>Pakistan<\/strong> and <strong>Qatar<\/strong>, would involve a 30-to-60-day negotiation period focused on limiting Iran\u2019s nuclear program and reopening the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. While Pakistani Army Chief <strong>Asim Munir<\/strong> reported &quot;encouraging progress&quot; after meetings in Tehran, Israeli officials claim they have been &quot;sidelined&quot; and &quot;excluded&quot; from the core negotiations, forcing them to rely on independent intelligence and regional contacts.<\/p>\n<p>On the ground, military tensions remain at a breaking point with reports of <strong>two violent raids<\/strong> on the town of <strong>Al-Mahmoudiya<\/strong> in southern Lebanon on <strong>May 23, 2026<\/strong>. The <strong>IDF<\/strong> warned residents in ten southern Lebanese villages to evacuate, citing violations of the existing ceasefire by <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong>. These developments have fueled concerns that any failure in the U.S.-Iran talks could lead to an immediate and massive escalation across multiple fronts.<\/p>\n<p>Financial markets are closely monitoring the situation, as a resumption of hostilities would likely drive significant gains for defense contractors such as <strong>Lockheed Martin<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/LMT\">LMT<\/a>) and <strong>RTX Corporation<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/RTX\">RTX<\/a>). Conversely, a successful diplomatic breakthrough and the reopening of the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> could lead to a sharp correction in crude prices, which have remained volatile throughout the conflict. <em>Analysts suggest that the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical in determining the long-term trajectory of regional stability and global energy costs.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Donald Trump is reportedly &quot;50\/50&quot; on whether to sign a framework agreement with Iran or launch a 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