Donald Trump announces Israel and Iran have agreed to ceasefire after US bombing raids
US President Donald Trump has announced that Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire after US bombing raids on Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend
US President Donald Trump declared on Monday evening that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had been agreed, expressing hope for enduring peace.
"It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in-progress, final missions! ), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED," Mr Trump posted on social media.
This historic announcement follows Iran's barrage of missile attacks on US airbases across the Middle East on Monday, a fiery retaliation to America's weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Targets in Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq were struck in the onslaught.
US President Donald Trump responded defiantly, asserting the devastation caused by America's earlier action was catastrophic, reports the Express.
Iran retaliated to unexpected attacks labelled as "gamechanging" by experts, carried out by the US over the weekend, which "obliterated" the three key nuclear facilities of Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
Israel had pressed the United States to use its formidable 30,000lb "bunker buster" bomb against Iran's heavily fortified nuclear sites - a move that led to last night's B-2 stealth bomber operation known as Operation Midnight Hammer.
Shocking images from the aftermath show six craters at the attacked site, correlating with the sextet of bombs deployed in the dead of night.
In his address, Donald Trump lauded the successful US operation and proclaimed Iran had been significantly weakened. Addressing Tehran, he warned: "Remember, there are many targets left," suggesting that any further military actions would be less challenging for American forces than the previous incursion.
Later that day, US Air Force General Dan Caine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, announced: "The goal of the operation - destroying nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan - has been achieved."
Evaluations so far confirmed that each of the three sites sustained considerable damage.
In an impassioned message on Truth Social, Trump declared: "We have completed our very successful attack on Iran's nuclear programme. All US aircraft are now outside of Iranian airspace."
He menacingly suggested the possibility of more strikes should Iran remain defiant, cautioning that any subsequent assault would be "easier than last night."
With a 12-hour ceasefire presently in effect, global attention is fixated on Iran's reaction and whether this pause in aggression might extend into a lasting peace.
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