The fragile cease-fire announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump between Israel and Iran appeared to be hanging by a thread on Tuesday, only hours after it went into effect. According to the Israeli military, Iran violated the agreement by firing a fresh barrage of missiles, prompting Israel to warn of potential retaliation. Iran, however, denied the accusation, with state media reporting that no missiles were launched after the truce officially began.
The conflicting claims immediately cast doubt on the durability of the cease-fire, which had raised hopes of ending nearly two weeks of escalating hostilities between two of the Middle East’s most bitter rivals. For 12 days, Israel and Iran had traded missile strikes, drone attacks, and threats, pushing the region to the brink of wider war. The cease-fire announcement, made by Trump just before the NATO summit, had briefly offered a glimmer of relief.
Trump’s Announcement and the Push for Calm
Trump’s timing appeared calculated to showcase U.S. diplomacy on the global stage. On the eve of the NATO gathering, he declared that both Israel and Iran had agreed to halt hostilities effective Tuesday morning. The announcement reportedly caught even some of his senior officials off guard, underscoring the urgency — and secrecy — surrounding the negotiations.
The cease-fire was supposed to bring an end to days of bombardments that had killed dozens of civilians, disrupted normal life, and sent millions in Israel scrambling repeatedly to bomb shelters. In the hours before the truce took hold, both sides continued trading fire, determined to land final blows before pressing pause.
By 7:30 a.m. local time in Israel, the military sounded an all-clear, allowing citizens to cautiously step out of shelters. Soon after, Trump declared the truce official, adding a personal warning in characteristic fashion: “PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”