There was an angry outburst from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier today after signs that the ceasefire he had helped broker between Israel and Iran was about to collapse. “I gotta get Israel to calm down now,” Trump said as he left the White House this morning, headed to The Hague, in the Netherlands, for a two-day NATO summit. After another exchange of blows today between Israel and Iran, there are signs that the ceasefire might now be holding.
“Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before, the biggest load that we’ve seen,” Trump continued, although there is no evidence to support the scale of those claims. “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” Trump continued.
Trump had previously called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and asked him not to attack Iran, an Axios reporter said in a post today on X, citing an Israeli official. According to that same reporter, Netanyahu told Trump that he was unable to cancel the attack and that it was necessary after Iran violated the ceasefire. The Israeli attack would be significantly scaled back and would not hit a large number of targets, but only strike one target, according to the reporter.
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to insist that the ceasefire was “in effect.” Trump posted: “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly “Plane Wave” to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES”
Apparently, that post was sent out “after he knew we would attack,” an Israeli official told the Israeli Kan public broadcaster.
According to the Associated Press, the Israeli military had detected an inbound Iranian missile barrage 2.5 hours after the start of the ceasefire. Air raid sirens were heard in Haifa, in the north of Israel.
Tehran denied that it had launched missiles in contravention of the ceasefire agreement, with a statement to this effect made by Iranian state TV via Reuters.
There are reports that, soon after it accused Iran of violating the ceasefire, Israel destroyed a radar installation near Tehran in response — the single target described in the official IDF statement. Israel claimed it had refrained from any further strikes, with the Israeli military providing the following statement:
The ceasefire was set for 07.00 this morning. At 03.00, Israel forcefully attacked in the heart of Tehran, struck regime targets and eliminated hundreds of Basij and Iranian security forces personnel. Shortly before the ceasefire was due to take effect, Iran launched a barrage of missiles, one of which took the lives of four of our citizens in Be’er Sheva. The ceasefire took effect at 07.00.
At 07.06, Iran launched one missile at Israeli territory, and two additional missiles at 10.25. These missiles were either intercepted or fell in open areas, and caused neither casualties nor damage.
In response to Iran’s violations, the Air Force destroyed a radar installation near Tehran.
Pursuant to the conversation between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel has refrained from additional attacks.
In the conversation, President Trump expressed his great appreciation for Israel, which achieved all of its objectives for the war, as well as his confidence in the stability of the ceasefire.
The Israeli government had already warned it would respond “forcefully” to any violation of the ceasefire.
Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz announced he had ordered his military to respond to what he said was Iran’s violation of the ceasefire. Katz said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had been instructed to carry out high-intensity operations against targets in Tehran. Katz said: “In light of Iran’s blatant violation of the ceasefire declared by the President of the United States — through the launch of missiles toward Israel — and in accordance with the Israeli government’s policy to respond forcefully to any breach, I have instructed the IDF … to continue high-intensity operations targeting regime assets and terror infrastructure in Tehran.”
AFP reported that explosions were heard in more than one location close to Tehran. Citing local newspapers, the report said explosions were heard and air defenses were activated in Babol and Babolsar, both of which are around 124 miles northeast of Tehran on the Caspian Sea.
Trump accused both Israel and Iran of violating the ceasefire he had announced only hours earlier, but his anger was particularly reserved for Israel. Trump said Israel “unloaded” right after agreeing to the deal.
Shortly after stating that Israel and Iran had both violated the ceasefire agreement he brokered, Trump warned Israel not to drop any more bombs on Iran. He said in a post on Truth Social: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”
Regarding Iran, Trump said the country’s nuclear capabilities are gone and its nuclear program would never be reinstated.
In another post on Truth Social, Trump declared: IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!
This was directly contradicted by Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami, who today said that Iran was assessing damage to its nuclear facilities and was developing a plan for its restoration, according to Mehr news. Eslami said, “The plan is to prevent interruptions in the process of production and services.”
There are meanwhile updates on the Iranian strikes on Beersheba earlier on Tuesday, which occurred shortly before the ceasefire was declared. The death toll from those strikes now stands at five, the Associated Press reports. At least three densely packed residential buildings in the city were hit, police said. At least 20 people were injured.
Iran said today that at least 610 people had been killed and over 4,700 wounded since the start of the war with Israel on June 13, AFP reported. “Over the past 12 days, hospitals… have been confronted with extremely harrowing scenes,” Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said on X, announcing the increase from the previously reported toll of more than 400 dead and 3,056 wounded.
One recent fatality in Iran was a senior commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to AFP. “The commander of Basij counterintelligence protection forces was martyred in a Zionist regime attack” on Monday, the Fars news agency said, citing a statement from the IRGC.
The Iranian casualty toll compares with the reported total of just 28 people killed by Iranian strikes on Israel over the same period.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz provided a breakdown today of the various Iranian missile barrages launched against Israel since June 13. This includes 532 ballistic missiles launched in the course of approximately 42 barrages.
Of these missiles, Israel claims that it successfully intercepted 94.5 percent of them, over the course of the conflict, using its multi-layered air defense system.
Speaking later today to reporters aboard Air Force One, en route to the NATO summit, Trump appeared to walk back his previous comments on his view on the fate of the Iranian leadership. Just two days ago, the U.S. president brought up the possibility of regime change.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, “Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, on June 22.
Today, when asked by a reporter if he wants to see regime change in Iran, Trump replied: “No, I don’t want it. I’d like to see everything calm down as quickly as possible. Regime change makes chaos.”
He also reiterated that Iran is “never going to have nuclear [weapons].”
Trump also took a moment to share plaudits he says he received from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the eve of the NATO summit in the Netherlands.
Again taking to Truth Social, Trump revealed a personal message from Rutte in which he thanks Trump for the attack on Iran, since “It made us all safer.” The NATO secretary general also praised Trump for his efforts in persuading European NATO allies to increase their defense budgets. “Europe is going to pay big, as it should, and that will be your victory,” the message read.
With the ceasefire apparently now holding after the exchanges earlier in the day, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir offered a statement on the road ahead, warning that “despite the phenomenal achievement, we must keep our feet on the ground. Many challenges lie ahead. We must remain focused; there is no time to rest on our laurels.”
“We have concluded a significant chapter, but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase, one that builds upon the achievements of the current operation. We have set Iran’s nuclear project back by years, and the same goes for its missile program. Now, the focus returns to Gaza, to bringing the hostages home and toppling Hamas rule,” Zamir continued.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Katz, reiterating the message from Trump to Netanyahu, stating that Washington expects Israel to honor the ceasefire, according to a report from Axios. Katz reportedly reassured Hegseth that Israel would abide by the terms of the ceasefire as long as Iran does. “If the Iranians attack again, we will be required to respond,” Katz reportedly said.
This is a developing story. Stay with The War Zone for updates.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com