Amidst ongoing military hostilities, Israel warned of a new barrage from Iran and urged civilians to take shelter.
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that a ceasefire would not commence until midnight Tuesday Eastern Time, claiming it would mark an “Official END” to the war.
However, Israel has yet to acknowledge any ceasefire agreement, maintaining its offensive operations with heavy strikes in Tehran and other Iranian cities until shortly before 4 a.m. local time.
In a statement on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that currently, there was no agreement for a ceasefire or cessation of military actions.
He indicated that if the Israeli regime ceased its hostilities against Iranian citizens before 4 a.m. Tehran time, Iran would reconsider its military response, yet stated that the final decision on continuing operations would be made later.
Trump branded the conflict as the “12 Day War,” a reference that carries significant emotional resonance, particularly among Palestinians and the Arab world.
The term draws a parallel to the infamous “Six Day War” of 1967 when Israel captured substantial territories including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights.
Sources indicated that Trump facilitated the ceasefire after discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Senior White House officials reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff engaged with Iranian representatives through various channels.
The White House attributed recent military actions, including a substantial bombing campaign, as influential in persuading Israel to accept a ceasefire.
Significantly, the Qatari government played a role in the mediation of this deal, although the extent of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s involvement remains unclear.
In stemming further conflict, Iran launched an attack on a U.S. base in Qatar but appeared willing to de-escalate tensions by providing prior warnings to the U.S., resulting in no casualties.
Trump characterized the Iranian attack as a “very weak response,” while Qatar condemned it as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty and international law.
According to Qatar’s military, of the nineteen missiles fired at Al Udeid Air Base, all but one were intercepted.
Iran defended the missile attack, suggesting that it was proportionate to the U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear sites over the weekend.
It further claimed to have targeted the base deliberately, avoiding populated areas.
Unconfirmed reports of a missile aimed at U.S. forces in Iraq turned out to be a false alarm triggered by debris from an Iranian missile malfunction targeting Israel.
By early Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed operations after briefly suspending flights due to the Iranian missile threats, indicating improved security in its airspace.
Overnight exchanges involved missile barrages from both Iran and Israel, with Iran targeting Israeli military sites and Israel striking Iranian regime infrastructure in Tehran.
Prior to the anticipated ceasefire, the Israeli military warned civilians in Tehran of impending strikes while Iran reciprocated with threats towards Ramat Gan.
Despite the ongoing airstrikes, Israeli officials clarified that their intent is not to incite regime change in Iran.
However, just a day after further involving the U.S. in the conflict with targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Trump hinted at the possibility of regime change, asking rhetorically why it wouldn’t occur if the Iranian regime failed to “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described Trump’s statement merely as posing a speculative question.
The recent U.S. strikes prompted fears of broader regional conflict, with Iran warning that the U.S. had crossed a significant “red line”.
Israeli officials privately expressed a desire to conclude hostilities in the coming days, contingent on Iranian actions.
Israel’s strategy seeks a ceasefire from Iran while also pursuing negotiations over its nuclear program with the U.S.
If that fails, Israel is bracing for potential extended low-intensity conflict focusing on reconnaissance and targeted strikes in response to emerging threats from Iran.
As hostilities escalated, the Israeli military continued its campaign, warning of additional strikes on military targets in Tehran and urging the Iranian military to anticipate follow-up operations.
Targeting strategic sites, Israeli strikes included military facilities linked to the suppression of recent unrest, as well as the notorious Evin prison known for detaining political prisoners.
Israeli forces succeeded in breaching the facility’s security but there were no immediate reports of casualties or sustained damage.
Iranian state media broadcast footage of Evin prison, claiming prisoner safety amid strikes, though organizations monitoring human rights expressed concern for the detainees’ well-being.
In conjunction with these operations, Israel also targeted logistical routes surrounding Iran’s Fordo enrichment facility, intensifying pressure on the Iranian nuclear program.
Following U.S. airstrikes targeting the facility over the weekend, expectations arose regarding the extent of resultant damages.
Iranian officials, however, asserted that they had preemptively moved nuclear materials from vulnerable locations to mitigate risks to their program.
As of the latest reports, at least 24 individuals have lost their lives, with more than 1,000 injuries documented in Israel since the onset of hostilities.
Conversely, Iranian casualties from Israeli attacks reportedly stand at 974, with over 3,400 wounded, based on data shared by the Washington-based group, Human Rights Activists.
This organization highlighted that among the deceased were identified civilians and security personnel.
Efforts to secure the safety of American citizens in Israel are ongoing, with reports indicating the evacuation of around 250 individuals and their families via various military and charter flights that began over the weekend.
Approximately 700,000 American citizens remain in Israel, predominantly dual U.S.-Israeli nationals, sparking concerns over their safety amid escalating violence.
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