WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump announced Monday that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” that will be implemented in phases over 24 hours, potentially ending what he termed “THE 12 DAY WAR” between the two Middle Eastern powers.
The ceasefire announcement came after Iran launched a retaliatory missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar following American strikes over the weekend on three Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump said on Truth Social that the ceasefire would bring an “Official END” to the war, marking a significant shift in hostilities that have escalated dramatically since mid-June.
Trump’s social media post outlined a specific timeline for the ceasefire implementation, stating it would begin at approximately midnight Tuesday EST. Under the proposed schedule, both countries would have six hours to wind down and complete their ongoing military operations. Iran would then cease attacks first, followed 12 hours later by Israel stopping its strikes at noon EST Tuesday. After an additional 12 hours, “the War will be considered, ENDED!” according to Trump’s announcement.
The conflict began June 13 when Israel launched surprise attacks on sites in Iran, with Israeli officials claiming the strikes were necessary to prevent what they described as an imminent threat of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Iran responded with a series of missile and drone strikes against Israel, while Israel continued targeting Iranian sites in an escalating cycle of retaliation.
The most recent escalation occurred when Iran fired missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar earlier Monday. A Qatari military officer reported that Iran launched 19 missiles at the facility, with one impacting the base but causing no casualties. Trump’s account differed slightly, stating that 14 missiles were fired, 13 were intercepted, and one was “set free.”
Iran characterized its missile attack as matching the number of bombs the United States dropped on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend, signaling what analysts interpreted as Tehran’s desire to de-escalate the situation. Iranian officials said they deliberately targeted the Qatar base because it was located outside populated areas, minimizing potential civilian casualties.
Trump acknowledged that Iran provided advance warning of the missile attack, thanking Iranian leaders for the “early notice” and expressing hope that this would be their only response to the American nuclear facility strikes. He described Iran’s retaliation as “very weak” while praising the country for the advance notification.
Congressional leaders quickly praised Trump’s ceasefire announcement. House Speaker Mike Johnson called it “a really remarkable achievement” and credited Trump’s approach, stating that “President Trump deserves all the credit. This is what peace through strength looks like. We haven’t seen this in a while, and it’s really a big sigh of relief here on Capitol Hill.”
Vice President JD Vance, appearing on Fox News Channel minutes after the ceasefire announcement, described the Israel-Iran conflict and U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities as “an important reset moment for the entire region.” Vance expressed hope that Iran had learned that any future attempts to build nuclear weapons would result in confrontation with “a very, very powerful American military.”
The White House reinforced Trump’s message by reposting his social media announcement, accompanying it with a photo of the president holding a red hat emblazoned with “Trump was right about everything” in capital letters.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, reports indicated that Israel continued striking Iranian targets with what its defense minister described as “unprecedented force.” However, Israeli government sources suggested through Arab intermediaries that the country was prepared to conclude the conflict within days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly expressed disinterest in a prolonged war of attrition, particularly as Israel faces depletion of its missile interceptors after ten days of Iranian attacks that breached defense systems and caused casualties and property damage.
Intelligence assessments suggest both sides may be seeking an exit strategy from the conflict. Trump’s measured response to Iran’s Monday missile attack, combined with Israel’s diplomatic messaging through regional partners, appears to represent a coordinated effort to signal Tehran that both countries are prepared to end hostilities if Iran agrees to cease operations.
As of Monday evening, neither Israel nor Iran had officially confirmed or responded to Trump’s ceasefire announcement, leaving the implementation timeline and verification mechanisms unclear. The lack of immediate response from both countries underscores the tentative nature of the proposed agreement and raises questions about enforcement and compliance monitoring.
The ceasefire announcement represents a significant diplomatic development in a conflict that has raised fears of broader Middle Eastern warfare and potential disruption to global oil markets. The successful implementation of Trump’s proposed timeline would mark a rapid conclusion to hostilities that began with Israel’s preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
Analysts noted that the ball remains in Tehran’s court as the Iranian government, described as severely weakened by the conflict, must decide whether to accept the ceasefire terms and formally end what both sides appear ready to conclude after nearly two weeks of escalating military exchanges.
