Trump announces ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran

Update: Monday, July 23
7:53 p.m.

President Donald Trump Monday evening announced that Israel and Iran had reached a ceasefire deal that would be implemented within a matter of hours.  The president congratulated both countries on the agreement, and said, if adhered to, the ceasefire would usher in the end of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. Trump suggested that the conflict should be referred to in the future as the 12-Day War. It was unclear Monday night whether both sides would adhere to the agreement. 

Original story:

No casualties were reported and no damage was sustained on Monday after Iran launched a missile attack on  a U.S. base in Qatar, according to a statement by President Donald Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social. Trump characterized Iran's attack on the Al Udeid Air Base, where U.S. military forces are stationed,  as a very weak response to U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday. He said all but one of the 14 missiles fired by Iran were intercepted, and the single remaining missile was allowed to run its course because it was heading in a nonthreatening direction.  The Iranian government notified the United States about the missile launches ahead of time, making it possible to protect lives, Trump said. He said he hope Iran has gotten all of its aggression out of its system and would move toward peace. He would encourage Israel to do the same, Trump added.

What did Iran have to say about the attack? Iran delivered a mighty and successful response to America’s aggression, according to a televised message from the Iranian government. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted an image of a burning American flag to X Monday afternoon with a caption stating that Iran hasn't hurt anyone and will not submit to harassment. The Iranian government claimed to have "smashed" the U.S. base, according to a statement on a government X account. The government also said Iran fired the same number of missiles in the attack that the United States used in its attack on Iran on Saturday. 

Was there any reaction from the government of Qatar? Iran did not want or initiate war, but this aggression will not go unanswered, according to a Monday morning translated statement from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Majed Al Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned Iran's actions, describing the attacks as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. He went on to say that Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles. Qatar is calling for an immediate ceasefire, as military action will only cause greater regional instability, Ansari said. 

What else is happening? NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte spoke Monday in defense of the United States striking Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend, insisting the strikes did not violate international law. NATO allies have repeatedly agreed that Iran must not have access to nuclear weaponry, Rutte said while speaking at The Hague. Allies have also repeatedly pushed Iran to meet this obligation set out by the Non-Proliferation Treaty, he added.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, called an emergency Board of Governors meeting Monday in the aftermath of the U.S. strikes. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi emphasized the possible health concerns of attacking Iranian nuclear sites, reiterating his belief that nuclear sites should never be attacked in a Sunday statement. The people and areas surrounding the strike zones in Iran are not expected to suffer any health consequences from the attacks, he said. The IAEA will continue to monitor the situation, and Iran must continue sharing important updates regarding nuclear security, Grossi added.

A spokesperson for the European Union addressed the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday and called for all parties involved in the conflict to reconvene peace negotiations before the situation escalates further. Lasting security is created through diplomacy, not military force, according to the EU. Negotiations must begin so that this conflict can de-escalate, the spokesperson added. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also reiterated the EU's stance that Iran must never acquire a nuclear bomb in a Sunday statement. Now is the time for Iran to move towards a credible diplomatic solution, she said.

What is Israel doing? The Israel Defense Forces continued targeted strikes throughout Iran on Monday, with a specific focus on sites of military and nuclear significance. The Israeli Air Force also launched attacks on sites in Lebanon housing Hezbollah rocket and missile launchers, according to a Monday statement.

The repeated strikes on Iran may bring about a regime change, Israeli spokesman David Mencer said during a government briefing on Monday. Israel is fighting the Iranian regime, not the people of Iran, and this war will only end once Israel achieves its goals of ending Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, he said. Only the Iranian people can change the country’s authoritarian regime, he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the people of Iran to rise up against the authoritarian government when Israel first started launching strikes on Iran on June 13. Israel is working to reduce the threat Iran poses to the Jewish state, which clears the way for the Iranian people to claim freedom from the oppressive Islamic regime, he said. Iran has never been weaker, and more strikes are on the way, so the Iranian people should stand up and make their voices heard, the prime minister said.

Dig deeper: Read Travis K. Kircher’s report on the United States’ initial strikes over the weekend.