US President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran is in place and issued a veiled warning to Israel against any further attack. His intervention was made hours after Israel accused Iran of violating the truce, followed by suspected retaliatory attacks that threatened to reignite the 12-day war.
Trump Orders Restraint, Ceasefire “In Effect”
Trump made the statement on Truth Social, stating, “ISRAEL will not be attacking Iran. All aircraft will turn back and go home, waving a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. No one is hurt, the Ceasefire is on! Thanks for paying attention to this situation! DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States.”
He went on later to address the reporters at the White House, condemning both nations for their actions. “The two nations have been warring so long and so hard that they don’t even know what the fk they’re doing, do you see that?”** he said.
Trump also asserted that both countries had made infractions, “Iran broke the ceasefire, but Israel broke it too. I’m not pleased with them. I’m not pleased with Iran either. But I’m extremely unhappy if Israel is leaving this morning. I’ve got to get Israel to settle down.”
Israel Responds to Ceasefire Breach
Regardless of Trump’s statement, there was tension following Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, accusing Tehran of breaching the ceasefire and authorizing fierce strikes against regime targets in Tehran, based on The Times of Israel.
Trump, clearly angry and traveling to the NATO Summit in The Hague, made another threat on social media, “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”
Iran Denies Post-Ceasefire Missile Attack
Although Israel accused Iran of violating the deal, Tehran rejected having fired missiles after the ceasefire went into effect. Iranian officials said that Israel had been “compelled” to unilateral cessation of its aggression, but failed to wholeheartedly endorse the ceasefire terms.
Trump first stated that the ceasefire would be implemented in stages, “Iran will begin the ceasefire and, on the 12th Hour, Israel will begin the ceasefire and, on the 24th Hour, a formal end to the 12-Day War.”
As both accused each other of transgressions, the tenuous truce now depends on whether retaliations can be prevented.
