On Tuesday, June 24, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had taken effect, urging both nations to respect the truce. This statement came just hours after Iran launched multiple missile strikes that, according to Israel’s national ambulance service, killed four people in Beersheba. “The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump had previously declared a “complete ceasefire” on Monday to end a 12-day conflict, suggesting that both sides would have time to conclude their ongoing operations before the ceasefire fully took hold in a phased manner. Explosions were reported in Tel Aviv and Beersheba shortly before his announcement. Israel’s military confirmed that Iran had fired six waves of missiles, while Iran’s state-affiliated SNN reported that its last missile volley was launched before the ceasefire deadline.

A senior U.S. official said the ceasefire was brokered by Trump in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel reportedly agreed to the truce as long as Iran halted further aggression. “If everything goes according to plan — and it will — I want to commend both Israel and Iran for having the strength, wisdom, and resolve to end what I’d call ‘The 12-Day War,’” Trump added on Truth Social.

An Iranian official confirmed Tehran’s agreement to a truce, although Iran’s foreign minister said peace would only be possible if Israel ceased its attacks. Iranian diplomat Abbas Araqchi stated that if Israel ended its military aggression by 4 a.m. Tehran time, Iran would stop retaliating — but emphasized that the final decision on halting military operations would be made later. Over the weekend, the U.S. joined Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, claiming Iran was close to acquiring a nuclear weapon — a charge Tehran denies. Iran maintains it has never pursued nuclear arms, while Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that if Iran chose to build one, it would be unstoppable.

Israel, though not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, is believed to be the only nuclear-armed nation in the Middle East. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani reportedly played a key role in convincing Iran to agree to the ceasefire, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, were also in direct and indirect talks with Iranian counterparts.

Requests for comment from Iran’s UN mission and the Israeli embassy in Washington went unanswered. Earlier, Israeli officials hinted that the country was preparing to wind down its offensive in Iran and conveyed this to the U.S. Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed his ministers to avoid public statements about the matter. The ceasefire news was welcomed by financial markets. S&P 500 futures rose 0.4%, and U.S. crude oil prices dropped to their lowest in over a week, easing fears of disruption to regional oil supplies.

Earlier on Monday, Trump indicated a desire for Israel to pursue peace and downplayed Iran’s strike on a U.S. air base, which caused no injuries. He thanked Iran for providing advance warning, calling the response “very weak” and expected. Iran’s measured missile response suggested an effort to retaliate symbolically while avoiding broader escalation. The strike followed U.S. bomber attacks on Iranian underground nuclear sites, carried out alongside Israel. As bombing continued, large numbers of Tehran residents reportedly fled the city. The Trump administration has insisted its objective was only to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, not to start a broader war.

Vice President Vance claimed Iran had been close to producing a nuclear weapon but was now incapable of doing so after the strikes. However, U.S. intelligence agencies previously stated that Iran was not actively building a nuclear weapon — and this assessment had not changed, according to a source familiar with U.S. intelligence reports. In a separate post, Trump also hinted at bringing down Iran’s hardline clerical leadership, which has been in conflict with Washington since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel, for its part, appeared to target not just military installations but the core of Iran’s ruling structure — including Evin prison, known for holding political detainees.