[Belegorn]

Sauron most certainly wanted them gone. His armies could not stand up to them and he felt they could topple his own base. It's quite amazing when I think about it because the Last Alliance was supposed to be the likeness of the army assembled to topple Melkor at the end of the First Age, and yet, with no Alliance, the Númenóreans themselves could overwhelm Sauron's forces. Also, remember Ar-Pharazôn would not let Sauron go around talking about he was the King of the World. So the idea of him being a King over the Númenóreans even though he had so manipulated them due to their fear of death, was not going to happen. The only thing they were crazy about at Númenór was their Doom. So Sauron made use of this fear and had them put an end to themselves, for the most part.