U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Monday that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” following a dramatic escalation that saw Iran launch a limited missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar. This strike was in retaliation for American bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the preceding weekend.

Trump’s declaration, made via his Truth Social platform, stated that the ceasefire would be phased in over 24 hours, beginning at approximately midnight Tuesday Eastern Time. He specified that both nations would have six hours to wind down ongoing military operations, after which a 12-hour truce would be observed, culminating in an “Official END” to what he called the “12 Day War”. Trump praised both sides for their “stamina, courage, and intelligence” in reaching the agreement, emphasizing that the conflict could have devastated the entire Middle East but was now being brought to a close.

However, there was no immediate confirmation of the ceasefire from either Israel or Iran. The Israeli military declined to comment, and the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not respond to requests for clarification. Similarly, Iran’s UN mission and other official channels offered no comment on Trump’s announcement. On Iranian state television, anchors referred to a “Trump-claimed” ceasefire but did not indicate any acceptance by Tehran. In fact, reports of continued Israeli strikes in Tehran and other Iranian cities surfaced even after Trump’s statement, suggesting that hostilities were ongoing at least in the immediate aftermath of the announcement.

The missile attack by Iran targeted Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which houses significant U.S. military assets, including the Combined Air Operations Center. Iran claimed the strike was a proportional response to the U.S. bombing of its nuclear sites, and reportedly gave advance notice to Washington, resulting in no casualties. Qatar condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty and stated that it intercepted most of the missiles.

The rapid sequence of events marked a dramatic shift in a conflict that had escalated quickly after Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which prompted Iran’s retaliation. The U.S. had initially sought to avoid direct involvement but entered the fray with its own strikes on Iranian targets. Trump’s tone shifted from confrontation to conciliation following Iran’s limited and telegraphed response, which he described as a way for Iran to “get it all out of their system”.

Despite Trump’s optimistic framing, the lack of immediate confirmation from Israel and Iran, combined with reports of ongoing military activity, raised questions about the durability and authenticity of the ceasefire claim. Israeli officials indicated that winding down the war would depend on Iran’s actions, and that Israel was prepared for either a period of calm or a drawn-out, low-intensity conflict if necessary.

While President Trump has publicly claimed a ceasefire between Israel and Iran following Iran’s missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar, neither party has officially confirmed the agreement, and fighting appeared to continue in the hours immediately after his announcement. The situation remains fluid, with the international community awaiting further confirmation from the principal actors involved.

Based On A AFP Report