U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a “complete and total” ceasefire between Israel and Iran will take effect in an effort to end the conflict, just moments after both sides issued fresh threats of retaliation.
Trump appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process.
’12-Day War’
“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’,” he wrote on his Truth Social site.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE, for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World,” Trump added.
The U.S. President said that during each ceasefire, the other side will remain “peaceful and respectful”.
“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Neither Iran’s U.N. mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington immediately responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters.
Israel Signalled Wrap-Up
Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signalled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and had passed the message on to the United States.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “very, very close to completing” its goals.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had agreed to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire.
Earlier on Monday, Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran’s attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes.
Iran’s Retaliatory Strike
Iran’s attack came after U.S. bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iranian underground nuclear facilities over the weekend, joining Israel’s air war against Iran in a conflict that has entered its 12th day.
S&P 500 futures rose 0.4% late on Monday, suggesting traders expect the U.S. stock market to open with gains on Tuesday.
U.S. crude futures fell in early Asian trading hours on Tuesday to their lowest level in more than a week after Trump said a ceasefire had been agreed, relieving worries of supply disruption in the region.
(With inputs from Reuters)
