June 24, 2025 — A tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared under immediate strain as multiple waves of missile attacks were reported on Tuesday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump declared an agreement to end a 12-day conflict between the two countries.
The Israeli military confirmed that Iran launched six waves of missile attacks overnight, with explosions reported near Tel Aviv and Beersheba. Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, reported three fatalities in Beersheba—marking the first civilian casualties in Israel since the ceasefire was announced late Monday.
A senior White House official revealed that the ceasefire agreement was brokered directly by President Trump during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Under the terms of the understanding, Israel agreed to halt military operations contingent on Iran refraining from further strikes.
President Trump, posting on Truth Social, stated:
"On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'."
Iran initially signaled willingness to honor the ceasefire. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said early Tuesday that Tehran would not cease hostilities unless Israel ended what he described as “illegal aggression.”
“If Israel stopped its attacks against the Iranian people no later than 4 a.m. Tehran time, Iran had no intention of continuing its response,” Araqchi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He added, “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”
Iran's semi-official SNN news agency reported that the missile barrages were launched just prior to the ceasefire deadline. It remains unclear whether this constitutes a violation of the ceasefire or a final salvo before hostilities were scheduled to cease.
The developments follow a dramatic escalation over the weekend, during which the United States joined Israel in striking Iranian nuclear sites. The strikes reportedly targeted key underground facilities suspected of advancing Iran’s nuclear program. Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, although Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently stated that if Iran did pursue such weapons, “world leaders wouldn’t be able to stop us.”
Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons though it neither confirms nor denies it, is not a signatory to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Qatar played a key role in facilitating Tehran’s agreement to the ceasefire, according to an official briefed on the negotiations. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff were also involved in direct and indirect dialogue with Iranian officials.
Iran's U.N. mission and the Israeli embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.
Despite the ceasefire announcement, the region remained tense. The Israeli military issued two separate evacuation warnings to residents of Tehran, citing possible threats. Alarms were also activated in Israel’s Golan Heights amid concerns about aerial incursions.
Earlier on Monday, President Trump said he believed Israel was prepared to de-escalate and emphasized that Iran’s response to prior U.S. airstrikes had been minimal.
“It was a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s launch of 14 missiles at a U.S. air base—an attack that caused no injuries.
The conflict has caused significant disruption in Iran, with much of Tehran’s 10-million-strong population reportedly fleeing amid sustained aerial bombardments. The Trump administration has maintained that its actions were aimed solely at dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, not igniting a broader war.
Vice President Vance reiterated this position in an interview with Fox News, stating:
“Iran was very close to having a nuclear weapon. Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have because we destroyed it.”
This assertion comes despite earlier assessments by U.S. intelligence agencies indicating that Iran was not actively developing nuclear weapons. According to a source familiar with those assessments, there had been no significant changes to that conclusion as of last week.
President Trump has previously spoken of his intention to undermine Iran’s clerical regime, which has remained a central adversary of Washington since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Israel’s military campaign has also targeted strategic infrastructure including Evin Prison—known for housing political dissidents—and key government facilities.
The news of a ceasefire briefly calmed global markets. U.S. crude oil futures dipped to a one-week low in early Asian trading, while S&P 500 futures rose by 0.4% overnight, signaling investor optimism for regional stability.
Still, the situation on the ground remains volatile, with neither side fully disengaged from military operations and both capitals issuing conflicting signals.
Whether the ceasefire holds or collapses under renewed pressure remains uncertain.
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