Donald Trump says Israel-Iran truce to begin within hours
US President Donald Trump says Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire.
In a social media post, Mr Trump said a ceasefire would begin in approximately six hours.
He congratulated Israel and Iran on having the "stamina, courage and intelligence" to end what he said should be called "the 12 day war".
Earlier, Mr Trump called Iran's retaliatory attack on a US air base in Qatar an "expected" and "very weak" response to the US bombing of three nuclear sites over the weekend.
So far, there has been no official comment from Israel or Iran.
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The Advertiser
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Iran to stop if Israel does, Trump announces ceasefire
US President Donald Trump has announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. Iran's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Abbas Araqchi said if Israel stopped its "illegal aggression" against the Iranian people no later than 10.30 AEST, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards. "The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later," Araqchi added in a post on X. There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time. Trump suggested that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE... for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!," he said in a post on Truth Social. "On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran's agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. A White House official said US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians. Neither Iran's UN mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters. Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signalled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran and had passed the message on to the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "very, very close to completing" its goals. Earlier Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran's attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes. The president's announcement comes after Iran's military carried out a "devastating and powerful" missile attack on the Al-Udeid US air base in Qatar. Qatar's defence minister, quoted by al-Jazeera TV, said its air defences intercepted missiles directed at the Al-Udeid air base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, situated across the Gulf from Iran. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer". Iran's military said its volley against Al-Udeid air base matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas. Iran's handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the US and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can't afford. Tehran appears to have achieved that goal. with AP and PA US President Donald Trump has announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. Iran's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Abbas Araqchi said if Israel stopped its "illegal aggression" against the Iranian people no later than 10.30 AEST, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards. "The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later," Araqchi added in a post on X. There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time. Trump suggested that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE... for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!," he said in a post on Truth Social. "On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran's agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. A White House official said US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians. Neither Iran's UN mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters. Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signalled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran and had passed the message on to the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "very, very close to completing" its goals. Earlier Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran's attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes. The president's announcement comes after Iran's military carried out a "devastating and powerful" missile attack on the Al-Udeid US air base in Qatar. Qatar's defence minister, quoted by al-Jazeera TV, said its air defences intercepted missiles directed at the Al-Udeid air base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, situated across the Gulf from Iran. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer". Iran's military said its volley against Al-Udeid air base matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas. Iran's handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the US and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can't afford. Tehran appears to have achieved that goal. with AP and PA US President Donald Trump has announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. Iran's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Abbas Araqchi said if Israel stopped its "illegal aggression" against the Iranian people no later than 10.30 AEST, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards. "The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later," Araqchi added in a post on X. There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time. Trump suggested that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE... for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!," he said in a post on Truth Social. "On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran's agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. A White House official said US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians. Neither Iran's UN mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters. Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signalled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran and had passed the message on to the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "very, very close to completing" its goals. Earlier Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran's attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes. The president's announcement comes after Iran's military carried out a "devastating and powerful" missile attack on the Al-Udeid US air base in Qatar. Qatar's defence minister, quoted by al-Jazeera TV, said its air defences intercepted missiles directed at the Al-Udeid air base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, situated across the Gulf from Iran. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer". Iran's military said its volley against Al-Udeid air base matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas. Iran's handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the US and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can't afford. Tehran appears to have achieved that goal. with AP and PA US President Donald Trump has announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. Iran's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Abbas Araqchi said if Israel stopped its "illegal aggression" against the Iranian people no later than 10.30 AEST, Iran had no intention of continuing its response afterwards. "The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later," Araqchi added in a post on X. There have been no reported Israeli attacks on Iran since that time. Trump suggested that Israel and Iran would have some time to complete any missions that are underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE... for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!," he said in a post on Truth Social. "On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani secured Tehran's agreement during a call with Iranian officials, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. A White House official said US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were in direct and indirect contact with the Iranians. Neither Iran's UN mission nor the Israeli embassy in Washington responded to separate requests for comment from Reuters. Hours earlier, three Israeli officials had signalled Israel was looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran and had passed the message on to the United States. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "very, very close to completing" its goals. Earlier Trump said he would encourage Israel to proceed towards peace after dismissing Iran's attack on an American air base that caused no injuries and thanking Tehran for the early notice of the strikes. The president's announcement comes after Iran's military carried out a "devastating and powerful" missile attack on the Al-Udeid US air base in Qatar. Qatar's defence minister, quoted by al-Jazeera TV, said its air defences intercepted missiles directed at the Al-Udeid air base, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, situated across the Gulf from Iran. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: "We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer". Iran's military said its volley against Al-Udeid air base matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas. Iran's handling of the attack recalled earlier clashes with the US and Israel, with Tehran seeking a balance between saving face with a military response but without provoking a cycle of escalation it can't afford. Tehran appears to have achieved that goal. with AP and PA
The Advertiser
3 minutes ago
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Judge halts plan to block foreign students from Harvard
A judge has blocked President Donald Trump's administration from implementing his plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction barring Trump's administration from carrying out its latest bid to curtail Harvard's ability to host international students amid an escalating fight pitting the Republican president against the prestigious Ivy League school. The preliminary injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued on June 5 that prevented the administration from enforcing a proclamation Trump signed a day earlier that cited national security concerns to justify why Harvard could no longer be trusted to host international students. She ruled after Trump's Friday announcement that his administration could announce a deal with Harvard "over the next week or so" to resolve the White House's campaign against the university, which has waged a legal battle against the administration's various actions against the school. Trump signed the proclamation after his administration had already frozen billions of dollars in funding to the oldest and wealthiest US university, threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status and launched several investigations into the school. The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months, and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard. But Burroughs said Trump's administration was likely violating Harvard's free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment by retaliating against it for refusing to meet its demands to cede control over the school's curriculum and admissions and by targeting it based on what officials viewed as the university's left-leaning orientation. The judge said "at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism." "Here, the government's misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this administration's own views, threaten these rights," she wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in its most recent school year, making up about 27 per cent of its student population. A judge has blocked President Donald Trump's administration from implementing his plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction barring Trump's administration from carrying out its latest bid to curtail Harvard's ability to host international students amid an escalating fight pitting the Republican president against the prestigious Ivy League school. The preliminary injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued on June 5 that prevented the administration from enforcing a proclamation Trump signed a day earlier that cited national security concerns to justify why Harvard could no longer be trusted to host international students. She ruled after Trump's Friday announcement that his administration could announce a deal with Harvard "over the next week or so" to resolve the White House's campaign against the university, which has waged a legal battle against the administration's various actions against the school. Trump signed the proclamation after his administration had already frozen billions of dollars in funding to the oldest and wealthiest US university, threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status and launched several investigations into the school. The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months, and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard. But Burroughs said Trump's administration was likely violating Harvard's free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment by retaliating against it for refusing to meet its demands to cede control over the school's curriculum and admissions and by targeting it based on what officials viewed as the university's left-leaning orientation. The judge said "at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism." "Here, the government's misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this administration's own views, threaten these rights," she wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in its most recent school year, making up about 27 per cent of its student population. A judge has blocked President Donald Trump's administration from implementing his plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction barring Trump's administration from carrying out its latest bid to curtail Harvard's ability to host international students amid an escalating fight pitting the Republican president against the prestigious Ivy League school. The preliminary injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued on June 5 that prevented the administration from enforcing a proclamation Trump signed a day earlier that cited national security concerns to justify why Harvard could no longer be trusted to host international students. She ruled after Trump's Friday announcement that his administration could announce a deal with Harvard "over the next week or so" to resolve the White House's campaign against the university, which has waged a legal battle against the administration's various actions against the school. Trump signed the proclamation after his administration had already frozen billions of dollars in funding to the oldest and wealthiest US university, threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status and launched several investigations into the school. The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months, and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard. But Burroughs said Trump's administration was likely violating Harvard's free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment by retaliating against it for refusing to meet its demands to cede control over the school's curriculum and admissions and by targeting it based on what officials viewed as the university's left-leaning orientation. The judge said "at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism." "Here, the government's misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this administration's own views, threaten these rights," she wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in its most recent school year, making up about 27 per cent of its student population. A judge has blocked President Donald Trump's administration from implementing his plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued an injunction barring Trump's administration from carrying out its latest bid to curtail Harvard's ability to host international students amid an escalating fight pitting the Republican president against the prestigious Ivy League school. The preliminary injunction extends a temporary order the judge issued on June 5 that prevented the administration from enforcing a proclamation Trump signed a day earlier that cited national security concerns to justify why Harvard could no longer be trusted to host international students. She ruled after Trump's Friday announcement that his administration could announce a deal with Harvard "over the next week or so" to resolve the White House's campaign against the university, which has waged a legal battle against the administration's various actions against the school. Trump signed the proclamation after his administration had already frozen billions of dollars in funding to the oldest and wealthiest US university, threatened Harvard's tax-exempt status and launched several investigations into the school. The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months, and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard. But Burroughs said Trump's administration was likely violating Harvard's free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment by retaliating against it for refusing to meet its demands to cede control over the school's curriculum and admissions and by targeting it based on what officials viewed as the university's left-leaning orientation. The judge said "at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism." "Here, the government's misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this administration's own views, threaten these rights," she wrote. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Almost 6,800 international students attended Harvard in its most recent school year, making up about 27 per cent of its student population.
News.com.au
8 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Satellite images show trucks lined up at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility before US air strikes
Satellite images appeared to show scores of trucks lined up at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility just days before the US carried out its large-scale air strikes – as speculation swirled that Tehran may have been able to move its uranium stockpiles before the attacks. The images, released by US defence contractor Maxar Technologies, captured more than a dozen cargo-style trucks lined up outside the Fordow nuclear enrichment site's tunnel entrance on Thursday and Friday, The New York Post reported. The vehicles, which came and went over a 24-hour stretch, appeared to move unidentified contents roughly half a mile (804 metres) away, The Free Press reported, citing US officials. US and Israeli intelligence officials were aware of the movement at the time but opted not to act so they could track where the trucks headed and await President Donald Trump's order to carry out the strikes, the officials said. Mr Trump gave the green light to launch 75 precision-guided munitions, including bunker-buster bombs and more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles, against Fordow and two other Iranian nuclear sites early on Sunday. Iranian state media outlets have since claimed that the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz sites were evacuated in the lead up to the strikes. Iran hasn't officially disclosed how much damage was sustained in the attack but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted on Monday the Trump administration was 'confident' that Tehran's nuclear sites were 'completely and totally obliterated'. 'We have a high degree of confidence that where those strikes took place is where Iran's enriched uranium was stored,' she told ABC News. 'The President wouldn't have launched the strikes if we weren't confident in that. 'So the operation was a resounding success and administration officials agree with that, as well as Israel.' Mr Trump, for his part, hailed the strikes as a 'Bullseye!!!'. Satellite imagery appeared to show that the strikes had severely damaged – or destroyed – the Forlow plant and possibly the uranium-enriching centrifuges it housed. 'Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran,' the President said in a Truth Social post. 'The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!' Still, US defence officials have said they are working to determine just how much damage the strikes did as speculation mounted that Iran could have shifted uranium from the underground military complex. 'I wish the Israelis had moved quicker to disable Fordow,' David Albright, a former United Nations weapons instructor, told The Free Press in the wake of the attacks. 'It's still a mystery exactly what was in those trucks. But any highly enriched uranium at Fordow was likely gone before the attack.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio told NBC's Meet the Press that he doubts Iran was able to move anything prior to the attacks but acknowledged 'no one will know for sure for days'. 'I doubt they moved it,' he said. 'They can't move anything right now inside of Iran. I mean, the minute a truck starts driving somewhere, the Israelis have seen it, and they've targeted it and taken it out.' He added that US officials believe a significant amount of Iran's stockpile of 60 per cent uranium had been located in the Isfahan facility when it was targeted. 'Our assessment is we have to assume that that's a lot of 60 per cent enriched uranium buried deep under the ground there is Isfahan,' Mr Rubio said. Mr Rubio didn't specifically mention Fordow or Natanz but said Iran should now bring its stockpile 'out of the ground and turn it over'. 'That really is the key,' he said. 'Multiple countries around the world will take it and down blend it. That's what they should do with that.' Ms Leavitt, meanwhile, dismissed Iran's threat of retaliation – insisting the US and the world were safer thanks to the President's attack. 'Just to be clear, yes, this strike on Saturday did make our homeland safer because it took away Iran's ability to create a nuclear bomb,' she told ABC News. 'This is a regime that threatens death to America and death to Israel. And they no longer have the capability to build this nuclear weapon and threaten the world. So (it's) not just the United States that's a safer place, but also the entire globe.'
