US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday morning that Iran and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire that would take effect now following the ‘symbolic’ barrage of Iranian missiles yesterday evening against an American airbase in Qatar which did not cause any damage.
The White House said the ceasefire was mediated by the US and Qatar, with Trump first calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier Monday to secure his support. He then phoned Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and asked him to bring Iran on board.
“The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it,” Trump wrote on his social media account. Iran would cease fire first, at 7 a.m. and shortly after that hour Iranian state television reported that the ceasefire had taken effect. In fact, Iran continued to launch ballistic missiles at Israel for another hour. Four people were killed when a missile hit a residential building in Beersheba in southern Israel.
According to Trump’s post, Israel will also cease its attacks at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The ceasefire will be officially declared 24 hours after it began, on Wednesday at 7 a.m. “During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL,” Trump wrote.
“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR.”
“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that that the Islamic Republic would not launch further attacks if Israel immediately ceased strikes. He thanked Iran’s “brave armed forces who remain ready to defend our dear country until their last drop of blood, and who responded to any attack by the enemy until the very last minute.”
“As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.”
Israel did not immediately comment on the ceasefire announcement. Later in the morning, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying that Israel has agreed to the US proposal for a bilateral ceasefire with Iran after it had “achieved all of the objectives of Operation Rising Lion, and much more” and removed “the dual immediate existential threat – both in the nuclear and ballistic missile fields.”
