(June 24, 2025) A tentative ceasefire appears to be taking hold between
Iran and Israel following a night of deadly missile attacks and conflicting
statements, though official confirmation from Israel remains absent.
The
intense phase of the conflict concluded with Iranian state television,
including Press TV, announcing the start of a ceasefire shortly after Iran
launched multiple missile barrages towards Israel late Monday into early
Tuesday. According to reports, most of the Iranian missiles were intercepted by
Israeli defenses. However, one missile struck an apartment building in the
southern Israeli city of Beersheba, resulting in the deaths of at least four
people and injuring several others. There has been no immediate comment from
the Israeli Prime Minister's Office regarding the reported ceasefire.
Iran
Strikes US Base in Qatar, Cites Retaliation
Earlier
on Monday, Iran launched a separate missile attack targeting the Al Udeid Air
Base in Qatar. Iranian officials stated this strike was in retaliation for the
U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Tehran claimed the
number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped by the U.S. They
also stated they chose Al Udeid because it is located outside populated areas.
The
attack on the major U.S. military facility – home to the forward headquarters
of U.S. Central Command and approximately 8,000 troops – prompted alerts for
U.S. citizens to shelter in place and an unprecedented shutdown of Qatari
airspace hours beforehand. U.S. President Donald Trump stated Iran fired 14
missiles. He claimed U.S. air defenses intercepted 13, while one missile was
allowed to proceed as it was deemed non-threatening. Tehran had reportedly
warned Washington in advance of this retaliatory strike.
Conflicting
Signals on Ceasefire
The situation surrounding the ceasefire announcement became murky:
1. Iranian TV
Announcement: Iranian state media declared a ceasefire had begun after
its missile barrages against Israel concluded. The broadcast featured martial
music and captions calling the strikes a "mighty and successful
response."
2. Trump's Declaration: U.S. President
Donald Trump subsequently announced a "complete and total" ceasefire
between Israel and Iran would go into force. He suggested a phased
implementation to allow ongoing missions to finish. In a social media post, he
congratulated both countries on ending what he termed the "12 DAY
WAR."
3. Iranian FM's
Contradiction: Contradicting both the Iranian TV report and Trump's
statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated early Tuesday
that there was NO
agreement on any ceasefire. He asserted that Israel
started the war and reiterated that Iran would stop its military response only
if Israel halted its aggression against Iran by 4:00 AM Tehran time. Araghchi
later confirmed Iran's military operations continued "until the very last
minute" at 4:00 AM.
4. Israeli Silence: Israel did not
immediately acknowledge any ceasefire agreement. Reports indicated heavy
Israeli strikes continued in Iran until shortly before the 4:00 AM Tehran
deadline mentioned by Araghchi, a tactic Israel has used before ceasefires in
past conflicts. However, no Israeli strikes were reported in Iran after that
time.
De-escalation
Hints Amidst Devastation
Despite the intense attacks, several statements pointed towards a potential
de-escalation:
·
Trump: He thanked Iran for the "early notice" of the
Qatar base strike, expressing hope Tehran had "gotten it all out of their
system" and that the moment could lead to reduced tensions.
·
Leon Panetta (Former CIA Director & Defense Secretary): He interpreted
Iran's measured strike on the base as a sign their capacity to respond might be
significantly damaged, and potentially a signal they didn't want further
escalation with Israel or the U.S.
·
Israeli Signals: Before the latest exchanges, former Israeli deputy
national security adviser Eran Lerman indicated the end might be "a matter
of days," aligning with unnamed officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, after the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, stated Israel was
nearing its objectives and had "no desire to prolong the operation,"
adding fighting would stop when goals were met.
·
White House Role: The White House maintained that the U.S. bombing of
Iranian nuclear sites helped persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire and
credited the Qatari government with helping broker the deal. The role of Iran's
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had previously vowed not to
surrender, remains unclear.
However,
the conflicting narratives from Tehran (between state media and the Foreign
Ministry), the lack of formal Israeli confirmation, and the history of
flare-ups in the region leave the durability of this ceasefire uncertain. The
attack on Beersheba underscores the human cost of the conflict, even amidst
high-tech interceptions.
The
international community, particularly the U.S. and Qatar, appear to have played
significant roles in facilitating the pause. Whether this pause evolves into a
lasting cessation of hostilities or merely marks an intermission depends on
unspoken understandings, the perceived achievement of objectives by both sides,
and the complex political dynamics within Iran and Israel. For now, the region
holds its breath, hoping the "12 DAY WAR," as termed by Trump, has
indeed reached its conclusion.
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