Confusion Over Ceasefire as Iran and Israel Exchange Strikes, Trump Claims “Official End” to War

Iran’s foreign minister stated that Iran would stop its attacks if Israel ended its operations by 4 a.m. local Tehran time on Tuesday. However, about an hour after that deadline, Israel’s military reported that Iran had launched missiles towards its territory. Sirens were heard in parts of Israel before the missiles landed. Though no official ceasefire had been declared, there were no reports of Israeli strikes on Iranian soil after that time. Heavy Israeli bombardment continued until just before 4 a.m., a pattern similar to previous conflicts where attacks intensified shortly before a ceasefire took effect.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a message on the social media platform X at 4:16 a.m. Tehran time, saying that there was still no formal agreement to stop military operations. He wrote that Iran had no intention to continue its response, provided that Israel halted its aggression by the stated time. He clarified that a final decision on ending military actions would be made later.

U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, declared on his platform Truth Social that a 24-hour phased ceasefire would begin around midnight Tuesday Eastern Time. He claimed this would mark the “official end” of the conflict and even named it the “12 Day War,” drawing parallels to the historic 1967 “Six Day War.” This comparison carries significant emotional and political weight, especially in the Arab world, as the 1967 conflict resulted in Israel capturing major territories. However, Israel has not confirmed any such ceasefire, and both the Israeli military and the prime minister’s office declined to comment on Trump’s statement.

In a separate but related development, Iran launched an attack on the U.S.-run Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday. Iran had warned the U.S. in advance, and no casualties were reported. Trump downplayed the attack, calling it a “very weak response,” suggesting Iran was not looking to escalate tensions with the United States. Iran said the number of missiles fired matched the number of bombs dropped on its nuclear facilities by the U.S. over the weekend. It also pointed out that the air base was chosen because it is located away from densely populated areas.

Qatar condemned the missile strike as a clear violation of its sovereignty and international law. The Qatari military reported intercepting most of the 19 missiles, with only one getting through. There was no clear information on whether that single missile caused any damage. A senior U.S. official later clarified that earlier alarms about a missile targeting an American base in Iraq were false. According to the official, the warning was triggered by debris from a malfunctioning Iranian missile aimed at Israel.

By early Tuesday, Qatar reopened its airspace, and Qatar Airways resumed regular flights. Commercial flight data showed planes once again flying through the region, indicating that Qatari authorities considered the immediate threat to have passed.