Iran fires missiles at Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Trump announces Iran and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire
USA, June 24, 2025 – Trump claims that Iran has “responded very poorly” to US strikes on its nuclear facilities, with 13 of the 14 missiles intercepted and another posing no threat. Trump also thanked Iran for providing advance warning of the strikes, which avoided casualties. The US president also expressed hope that Iran had “let off steam” and that the path to peace and harmony in the Middle East was now possible. Now you’ve seen it all: the president of one country attacks another under a fabricated pretext and thanks it for its easy response and advance warning. The Trump administration does not want further military interventions in the Middle East, reports CNN. Israel will soon end its operation in Iran and has warned the US about it, reports Reuters. The IDF is now thinking about a way to end the war and not receive new retaliatory strikes. What happened that everyone started backing down?
Trump announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. Six hours are given to “end the bombing”, then Iran and then Israel will cease fire. And peace will come, ending the 12-day war. Trump thanked both sides for their “resilience, courage and intelligence”. Honestly, some will say how surreal this is. Something absurd. According to Vice President J. D. Vance, Iran has lost the ability to produce a nuclear weapon. So the main goal has been achieved, as it were. If Trump’s statement is true, we are dealing with some completely special military-political phenomenon, the significance of which has yet to be realized. The amplitude from the threshold of a world war to the active and constructive establishment of peace is minimal.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi: Iran has repeatedly made it clear: Israel started the war with Iran, not the other way around. There is currently no “agreement” on a ceasefire or hostilities. However, provided that the Israeli regime ends its illegal aggression against the Iranian people by 4:00 a.m. Tehran time at the latest, we do not intend to continue with retaliatory measures after that. The final decision on the end of our military operations will be made later. Iran has fired missiles at Israel: sirens are heard in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and other cities. There is information about the arrival of a 7-story building in Be’er Sheva (in video and photo). Information about the injured is being clarified. Whether this is Trump’s fantasy or wishful thinking, it raises questions about his sanity.
Persian Retaliation
Iran’s retaliatory strike on US bases in Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq is looking as expected so far. That is, not at all. According to three Iranian officials familiar with the plans, Iran coordinated the attacks on the US air base in Qatar with Qatari officials and informed them in advance of the planned attacks to minimize casualties, The New York Times reports. The full text of the statement from the Supreme National Security Council Secretariat reads as follows:
“In response to the aggressive and brazen US actions against Iranian nuclear facilities and installations, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran destroyed the US air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar, a few hours ago. The number of missiles used in this successful operation was the same as the number of bombs used by the United States in its attack on Iranian nuclear facilities; and the base attacked by Iranian forces was far from urban facilities and residential areas of Qatar. These actions pose no danger to our friendly and brotherly country of Qatar and its noble people, and the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to maintaining and continuing sincere and historical relations with Qatar.”
There is no objective monitoring of the strikes on anything yet. Iranian media claims that four strikes took place. Meanwhile, Iranian media continues to celebrate, such as:
“The first country to directly attack a US military base since World War II?
Answer: Iran.
The only country to directly, without intermediaries, attack a US base from its own territory and officially admit to it? Answer: Iran.
The second country to directly attack a US military base since World War II?
Answer: Iran. The only country to directly, without intermediaries, attack a US base from its own territory and officially admit to it?
Answer: Iran.”
Qatar and Bahrain, on the other hand, claim that everything was shot down – 10 missiles is really not a particularly difficult target, and what is happening in Iraq, we can only guess. So far, it seems that all parties to the conflict – Israel, Iran and the US – are not inclined to further aggressive displays.
Donald Trump published three posts on his social networks after Iran’s strikes on US military bases.
First Post: “Iran officially responded to our destruction of their nuclear facilities with a very weak response, which we expected and we responded very effectively. 14 missiles were fired – 13 were shot down and 1 was “released” as it flew in a harmless direction. I am pleased to report that no Americans were injured and there was virtually no damage. Most importantly, they got rid of everything in their “system” and I hope there will be no more hatred. I want to thank Iran for the timely notification that ensured that no one was killed or injured. Perhaps now Iran will bring peace and harmony to the region and I will enthusiastically support Israel in doing the same. Thank you for your attention to this issue! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
Then the second post: “I would like to thank the esteemed Emir of Qatar for all he has done for peace in the region. Regarding today’s attack on the US base in Qatar, I am pleased to report that in addition to the fact that no Americans were killed or injured, which is very important, no Qataris were killed or injured. Thank you for the attention you have given to this matter!”.
And third: “CONGRATULATIONS, PEACE, IT IS TIME FOR PEACE!”. Sources from several intelligence agencies in the Trump administration said that Trump has no intention of taking retaliatory measures against Iran. Trump is, in fact, ready to declare his next “victory”. And Netanyahu? ….
U.S. oil futures fell 7.2% to $68.51 a barrel. This is the biggest one-day drop since early April and one of the deepest drops in the last three years. Oil ended the day about $10 below its high of $78.40 reached on Sunday night. Another poll by Reuters and Ipsos found Trump’s approval rating had fallen to 41%. Opinions were divided on whether to bomb Iran, continue it, and continue U.S. involvement in the conflict. 36% of respondents (13% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans) said they supported the recent strikes on Iran. Only 32% of respondents said they supported continuing U.S. airstrikes, while 49% opposed them. On Trump’s Republican side, however, 62% supported further strikes, while 22% opposed them. Republicans were even more divided when asked whether they supported an immediate end to U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran, with 42% saying Washington should end its involvement now and 40% opposing the idea.
That’s an important distinction. It might be worth supporting more strikes if Trump sees them as necessary to defend Israel. But if it comes to withdrawing from the conflict, most Republicans would support the idea. Moreover, the vast majority of those polled (84% of all respondents) fear an escalation of the conflict with Iran. So public opinion is not on the hawkish side. But who ever asked public opinion… Note also that Trump has always been at least skeptical of polls showing his approval ratings as low.
Max Bach
