Another twist in the conflict in the Middle East: President Donald Trump announced Monday that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire, bringing an end to a short but intense conflict that began earlier this month. The announcement was made via Trump’s TruthSocial account. He said he and the White House have brokered the agreement personally.
The ceasefire comes after 12 days of escalating violence that began on June 13, when Israel launched an airstrike on suspected Iranian nuclear facilities. The attack set off a cascade of retaliatory actions, including US strikes on Iranian targets and an Iranian missile barrage on a US military base in Qatar, which occurred Monday but caused no damage to the American base..
Trump said the ceasefire would unfold in a staged sequence: Iran is to begin a 12-hour pause in hostilities, followed by a reciprocal 12-hour pause by Israel. The war would be declared officially over 24 hours after the initial pause, ending what Trump refers to as the “12 Day War.”
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE… for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!” Trump posted. He praised the leadership in both nations for what he called “stamina, courage, and intelligence,” and warned that a prolonged conflict “could have destroyed the entire Middle East.”
The ceasefire is reportedly scheduled to begin early Tuesday morning Tehran time, roughly six hours after Trump’s announcement. According to the proposed timeline, Iran will halt hostilities first to allow the staged de-escalation process to begin, with Israel following 12 hours later. There has been no immediate confirmation of the agreement from Tehran or Jerusalem.
