Iran Announces Halt to Hostilities with Israel; Trump Says Conflict Is Over

Ceasefire Declared in Iran-Israel Conflict After 12 Days of Escalation; Trump Hails End to ’12-Day War’.

A day of diplomatic whiplash, conflicting signals, and continued missile fire marked the end of a volatile 12-day confrontation between Iran and Israel, with Tehran ultimately declaring a halt to hostilities—hours after initially denying the existence of a ceasefire deal.

Trump Announces Ceasefire, Iran Initially Denies
In the early hours of Tuesday (IST), U.S. President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that Israel and Iran had reached a “complete and total ceasefire,” effectively ending what he termed the “12-Day War.”

“The ceasefire will begin approximately six hours after this announcement,” Trump wrote, adding that Iran would halt hostilities first, followed by Israel within 12 hours. “This is a war that could have gone on for years and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t—and never will!”

However, Iran responded swiftly with a firm denial. “As of now, there is NO agreement on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He accused Israel of launching the war and laid down a clear precondition: Iran would consider halting attacks only if Israel ended its “illegal aggression” by 4 a.m. Tehran time.

Tehran’s Late Reversal and Final Strikes
Despite the initial denial, Iran’s stance appeared to shift hours later. In a statement posted just after the 4 a.m. deadline, Araghchi confirmed that Iranian military operations had ended, praising the armed forces for “responding to any attack… until the very last minute.”

“The military operations of our Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4 am,” Araghchi said, while signaling that Iran had no desire for further escalation—provided Israel ceased hostilities.

By then, however, at least one final round of Iranian missile strikes had already been launched. Tel Aviv reported three civilian deaths from attacks carried out after Trump’s ceasefire declaration, further muddying the timeline and casting doubt on the implementation of the truce.

Ceasefire Brokered via Qatar
According to Reuters, the eventual ceasefire was brokered by Qatar and backed heavily by U.S. diplomatic channels. Sources said the agreement was finalized just minutes after both Iran and Israel had threatened further escalation. The terms remain unclear, but the deal appears to have taken effect despite lingering hostilities on the ground.

Iran Hits U.S. Bases in Qatar and Iraq
Complicating matters, Iran also targeted U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq with missile fire shortly after Trump’s ceasefire announcement. The U.S. President, in his post, downplayed the strikes as “very weak” and “expected.”

“Out of 14 missiles, 13 were intercepted. One was allowed through—it was non-lethal,” Trump claimed, adding that the response would not derail the ceasefire timeline.

Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had posted a defiant message on social media, featuring a burning U.S. flag and bombed buildings. “We did not harm anyone. But we will not tolerate harassment from anyone. And we will never submit,” he declared.

Trump Praises Both Sides
Despite the continued exchanges, Trump doubled down on his optimism.

“This is a war that could have dragged on for years,” he said. “Instead, it ends with courage, stamina, and intelligence. God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America—and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”