On Monday, President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire between Israel and Iran amid escalating military tensions, shortly after a missile attack targeted Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized that the ceasefire was now in effect and urged both countries not to violate the agreement.
By Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had accepted the truce proposal, while Iranian state media confirmed the commencement of the ceasefire.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, Israel initiated airstrikes on Tehran, accusing Iran of breaching the truce, a claim that was firmly rejected by Iranian officials.
The situation escalated on Monday evening when flares and explosions could be observed in Qatar’s capital Doha.
According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran, the missile strike was in retaliation for what they termed the “blatant military aggression” by the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear facilities, characterizing the Al Udeid airbase as a key strategic asset for the U.S. in West Asia.
Qatar’s military successfully intercepted 18 of the 19 missiles launched, with no reported casualties stemming from the attack.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani condemned Iran’s aggression, labeling it an “unacceptable act” given Qatar’s diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
He expressed his surprise at the attack coming from a country Qatar considered a neighborly nation, and subsequently, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Iran’s ambassador to lodge a formal protest against the missile attack.
In defense of the attack, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson cited Article 51 of the UN Charter, claiming their actions were a legitimate response to what they deemed unprovoked aggression against Iran’s national sovereignty by U.S. forces over the previous weekend.
As tensions escalated, President Trump made a significant announcement regarding the ceasefire timeline on his Truth Social account.
Trump declared that a “complete and total” ceasefire had been brokered between Iran and Israel, stating it was set to take effect in approximately six hours.
He detailed the timeline for the ceasefire, designating that Iran would initiate the ceasefire first at 04:00 GMT on Tuesday, followed by Israel 12 hours later at 16:00 GMT.
The conflict had been referred to as the “Twelve Day War” and the ceasefire was termed as signaling the official end of hostilities.
Netanyahu’s office subsequently issued a statement affirming Israel had agreed to the ceasefire proposal, while claiming that all objectives against Iran had been successfully achieved.
The statement from Netanyahu highlighted that Israel had neutralized a dual existential threat concerning both Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile capabilities.
A member of Netanyahu’s Likud party expressed opposition to the ceasefire, arguing that the only acceptable outcome would be an Iranian surrender.
Political commentators like Ori Goldberg suggested that Netanyahu’s assertion of having accomplished his objectives was dubious at best, as the specific goals of Israel in the conflict were unclear.
Goldberg noted that Netanyahu faced pressure from the Trump administration to accept the ceasefire, primarily due to the infrastructure damage caused by Iranian attacks.
In contrast, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed that they had agreed to the ceasefire but emphasized a lack of trust in Israel, cautioning that their military remains prepared to respond decisively to any violations.
Qatar played a crucial mediation role in facilitating communications between the two belligerent nations as they worked to implement the ceasefire.
Sheikh Mohammed reiterated the importance of all parties adhering to the truce, indicating Qatar’s diplomatic involvement at the behest of the U.S.
However, serious violations of the ceasefire surfaced almost immediately after it commenced.
On Tuesday morning, an Iranian missile struck a building in Beersheba, Israel, resulting in at least four deaths and multiple injuries.
Subsequent reports indicated that Israel managed to intercept two additional Iranian missiles that were launched.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to respond robustly to the alleged ceasefire violation, instructing targeted strikes against Iranian regime assets in Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump warned Israel against conducting further bombings in Iran, framing such actions as a major ceasefire violation.
Trump advised Israel to bring their military pilots home, emphasizing that the ceasefire was indeed in effect and that no further hostilities should occur during this period.
Historically, Trump has made claims of mediating ceasefires in previous conflicts, including between India and Pakistan, but often faced allegations of rapid violations following such announcements.
Allegations of ceasefire breaches also arose following Trump’s mediation during the recent conflict in Gaza, where the situation continued to deteriorate significantly, leading to heightened humanitarian crises.
Since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza back in October 2023, over 56,000 Palestinian deaths have been reported as a result of military operations and a subsequent blockade on additional humanitarian aid deliveries.
After immense international pressure, limited aid deliveries resumed under the supervision of the UN, albeit with severe scrutiny from rights groups regarding the humanitarian situation on the ground.
With the backdrop of these complexities, Trump’s assertations of influence remain contested amid fluctuating dynamics in U.S. foreign policy and interventionist strategies in the region.
image source from：aljazeera
