Israel said Tuesday it had agreed to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire with Iran, on the 12th day of war between the foes.
Here are the latest developments:
– Israel agrees to ceasefire –
The Israeli government said it had achieved all its objectives in the war with Iran, and that it had agreed to the US-proposed ceasefire after removing the “dual existential threat” of Tehran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missiles.
Israel nonetheless warned it would “respond forcefully” to any Iranian violation of the truce.
Oil prices fell five percent on Tuesday after Israel agreed to the proposal.
The ceasefire agreement, as outlined by Trump on social media in a surprise late-night post, would see the arch enemies stop firing in staggered phases.
According to Trump, Iran would unilaterally halt all operations beginning 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Israel following suit 12 hours later.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He said the “official end” would come after Israel and Iran “wound down and completed their in progress, final missions”.
– ‘No intention to continue’ –
After Trump’s announcement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media that “as of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on ceasefire or cessation of military operations”.
However, he added that if Israel stopped “its illegal aggression”, Tehran would have “no intention to continue our response afterwards”.
– Final salvos –
Iran’s state media said on Tuesday that a fifth wave of missiles was headed towards Israel around the time the ceasefire was expected to take hold.
Air raid sirens rang out in northern Israel as the Israeli military said it was working to intercept the latest round of missiles from Iran.
Israeli emergency services said four people were killed and two moderately wounded in an Iranian missile strike in southern Beersheba.
The full extent of the damage from Iran’s attacks on Israel is not known due to military censorship rules, but at least 50 impacts have been acknowledged nationwide and 28 people have died, according to official figures.
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry has said.
Iranian media said an overnight Israeli strike on the north of the country killed nine people, ahead of Trump’s announcement of the start of a ceasefire.
– Iran strikes US air base –
Hours before the ceasefire announcement, Iran launched missiles at a US base in Qatar in retaliation for American strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
Qatar said it successfully intercepted the attack on Al Udeid Air Base, which it called a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty and said it reserved the right to respond.
Trump dismissed the attack as “very weak”.
He said Iran gave “early notice” of the strike, thanking the Islamic republic for the move that “made it possible for no lives to be lost, nobody to be injured”.
UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned Iran’s attack on the Al Udeid base and reiterated his call for the fighting to stop.
