In a significant development on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has been established, a claim corroborated by officials from both nations. This announcement comes after nearly two weeks of intense conflict, which included U.S. airstrikes targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities.
Despite the ceasefire’s declaration, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) accused Iran of breaching the agreement by launching missiles toward northern Israel shortly after. Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, communicated to the Times of Israel that he instructed the IDF to take “forceful action” against Iran’s violation, emphasizing that any further aggressions would precipitate intense military responses from Israel.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, was acknowledged by the Israeli government; however, they cautioned that continued violations by Iran would incur swift consequences. According to statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, the objectives of “Operation Rising Lion” were successfully met, neutralizing immediate threats from Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. The statement expressed gratitude towards Trump for his assistance, stating that, in complete alignment with the U.S. proposal, Israel will observe the ceasefire.
Trump highlighted the success of the ceasefire in a post on his social media platform, urging both sides to respect the agreement, stating, “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”
Despite these declarations, the status of the ceasefire appeared complicated as fresh missile attacks from Iran continued. The IDF reported issuing several warnings regarding new Iranian missile launches, and Iranian media claimed that Israel had been compelled to accept a ceasefire following successful missile strikes against its territory.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi remarked on X that there is currently no formal agreement on a ceasefire unless Israel ceases its alleged aggressive actions by a stipulated deadline.
Further complicating the situation, reports indicated that Iran fired missiles towards the Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar, which houses U.S. military assets. Although no casualties were reported, U.S. officials confirmed the base was targeted. The Qatari defense systems reportedly intercepted the missiles, and the country temporarily closed its airspace in the aftermath of the incident.
In the United States, safety concerns led to a brief shutdown of Miami’s Metrorail system due to a suspected package, illustrating the heightened state of alert following the events in the Middle East.
The Israeli military stated it had conducted operations against Iranian targets, including sites linked to Iran’s nuclear capabilities. President Vladimir Putin of Russia criticized U.S. actions, labeling them an unprovoked act of aggression and emphasizing Russia’s intent to support Iran.
Amid this chaos, Trump declared that the strikes caused extensive damage to Iranian nuclear sites, asserting that “Obliteration is an accurate term,” and implied that the military objectives were achieved without significant escalation of the conflict.
As uncertainty looms, Vice President JD Vance articulated the administration’s goal, clarifying that the U.S. seeks to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions rather than pursue a military engagement, while Trump underscored the necessity for maintaining peace in the region, stating that the strikes had been a military success and cautioning Iran against any retaliation.