U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the 24-hour phased-in ceasefire would begin at approximately midnight Tuesday eastern time, giving the two countries six hours to have “wound down and completed their in progress, final missions.” He said it would bring an “Official END” to the war.
The Israeli military declined to comment on Trump’s statement, and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had agreed to the U.S.-proposed, Qatari-mediated ceasefire.
Iran’s UN mission, meanwhile, declined to comment on Trump’s ceasefire post, and the Israeli mission said it had no immediate comment.
Speaking on Iranian state television, an overnight anchor repeatedly referred to a “Trump-claimed” ceasefire, without saying whether Tehran accepted it.
The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s military put out a warning in Farsi earlier Monday urging residents of District 6 and the Mehran neighbourhood to evacuate because of impending Israeli military activity.
Early Tuesday local time, Iran, mirroring the language and maps of the Israeli military, put out a warning telling people in Ramat Gan it would target “military infrastructure” there.
The U.S. military says secrecy and misdirection were key to the success of its attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Operation Midnight Hammer deployed B-2 Spirit Bombers to drop nearly half a million pounds of bunker-buster bombs. Andrew Chang breaks down how the U.S. carried out the attack and what could come next.
Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters.
1:15 – Misdirection and mixed messages
4:42 – Three-part assault
10:42 – Unanswered questions
Trump labels airbase attack a ‘very weak response
Iran’s attack Monday indicated it was prepared to step back from escalating tensions in the volatile region. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump, who dismissed the attack as a “very weak response.”
Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid airbase as “a flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage.
Glowing lights streaked over Doha on Monday as Iran’s military said it had carried out a ‘devastating and powerful’ missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. Air Base in Qatar. Qatari authorities said there were no casualties in the attack, which was a response to the U.S. bombing three of Iran’s nuclear sites.
Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.
Those comments, made immediately after the attack, suggested Iran wanted to de-escalate with the United States, something Trump himself said after the strikes early Sunday on Iran.
Trump thanked Iran on social media Monday for giving the U.S. and allies “early notice” of the retaliation.
The U.S. president expressed hope that Tehran had “gotten it all out of their ‘system'” and that the moment would lead to a de-escalation in the Israel-Iran war.
“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,” he wrote on Truth Social.