Israel and Iran agree to a ceasefire

 Beersheba, June 24 — Israel and Iran have both agreed to a ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, ending a 12-day war that caused significant destruction and tension across the Middle East. The ceasefire comes shortly after Iran fired a final round of missiles into Israel, killing at least five people, and Israel responded with heavy airstrikes on targets across Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the agreement, saying Israel had met all of its military goals, including targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, striking key government and military sites, and gaining air dominance over Iran. He warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any future violations of the ceasefire.

Heavy fighting continued into early Tuesday morning, with Israeli strikes on Iranian cities stopping around 4 a.m., and Iranian missile attacks on Israel continuing into dawn. Emergency services in Israel reported five deaths and at least eight injuries. Several residential buildings in Beersheba were damaged, and some people were hurt even inside bomb shelters.

President Trump declared the ceasefire on his Truth Social account, writing, “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Iran’s state media later confirmed the ceasefire began at 7:30 a.m. local time, although Iranian officials had not made formal public statements after Trump’s post.

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would consider halting its attacks if Israel ended its “illegal aggression” by 4 a.m. Tehran time. He noted, however, that Iran had not officially committed to any ceasefire yet.

Trump Calls It the ‘12-Day War’

Trump referred to the conflict as the “12-Day War,” drawing parallels to the historic Six-Day War of 1967. He said the ceasefire marked an “official end” to hostilities and credited the U.S. airstrike on Iran’s nuclear sites and help from Qatar in getting both sides to agree.

High-level communications were held between the U.S., Israel, and Iran—some through indirect channels—with U.S. officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff involved in the process.

Airspace Disruptions and Civilian Impact

Iran’s missile strikes forced Israel to close its airspace to emergency flights for several hours. Some planes had to circle the Mediterranean. Qatar also briefly closed its skies following Iran’s limited missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar, though it later resumed normal air traffic.

The war has taken a heavy toll: at least 29 people have died and over 1,000 have been injured in Israel. In Iran, Israeli strikes have killed at least 974 people and injured more than 3,400, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists group, which tracks casualties in Iran. This includes hundreds of civilians and security personnel.

The U.S. has evacuated about 250 American citizens and their families from Israel since the weekend. Around 700,000 U.S. citizens, mostly dual nationals, are believed to be in the country.

Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high, and both sides have warned of strong retaliation if the truce is broken.

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