US President Donald Trump issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s actions on Tuesday, following reports that both Israel and Iran had violated a US-brokered ceasefire. Trump, in a series of posts on Truth Social, directly addressed Israel, warning, “Do not drop those bombs".

If you do it is a major violation. Bring your pilots home, now!” This marked Trump’s first major public rebuke of Israel since the onset of the conflict with Iran two weeks prior, signalling rare public frustration with the longstanding US ally.

The ceasefire, announced by Trump and brokered with Qatari mediation, was intended to halt a 12-day war that began when Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, citing concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

In retaliation, Iran fired missiles at a US base in Qatar, which were largely intercepted, and then agreed to a phased ceasefire: Iran would halt attacks first, followed by Israel 12 hours later, with the war officially ending after 24 hours if both sides complied.

Despite the agreement, the truce began to unravel almost immediately. Both Israel and Iran accused each other of violating the terms. Explosions and missile sirens were reported in northern Israel, with Israeli officials stating that two Iranian missiles were intercepted after the ceasefire window began. Iran, meanwhile, denied launching new missiles, with its foreign minister stating that Iran would not fire unless provoked and that a final decision on ceasing military operations was pending.

Speaking to reporters before departing for a NATO summit, Trump expressed clear dissatisfaction: “They violated it, but Israel violated it too. I’m not happy with Israel,” he said, noting that Israel had “unloaded” immediately after the ceasefire was agreed.

He emphasised the need for restraint, saying, “Israel has to calm down. I have to get Israel to calm down. There was one rocket that I guess was fired overboard, and it missed its target. Now Israel is going out. Ridiculous. I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal... That's not what we want...”.

Trump’s public warning to Israel is notable for its directness and urgency. In another Truth Social post, he reiterated that the ceasefire remains in effect and insisted that Israeli planes would “turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!”.

The ceasefire’s fragility was underscored by continued violence. Israeli authorities reported that Iran had fired 20 missiles just before the ceasefire began, with three striking residential buildings in Beersheba, resulting in at least four deaths and over 20 injuries. The conflict’s toll has been severe: at least 28 Israelis killed and over 1,000 injured, while Israeli airstrikes have killed 974 people in Iran, including hundreds of civilians and security personnel.

Meanwhile, the regional situation remained tense, with drone attacks targeting US military bases in Iraq, though no group claimed responsibility. Iran-backed militias had previously warned of retaliation if the US struck Iran.

President Trump’s forceful condemnation of Israel’s actions, alongside his criticism of Iran, reflects deep frustration with both parties’ failure to uphold the ceasefire. His statements mark a significant diplomatic moment, highlighting the challenges of enforcing peace between adversaries in a volatile region and the limits of US influence, even over its closest allies.

With Agency Inputs