Israel-Iran live: Trump claims a 'total ceasefire' has been agreed - but new missiles launched
Explosions have been heard in Tel Aviv overnight - plunging the US president's claims of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran into doubt. Iran's foreign minister has thanked "our brave Armed Forces who remain ready to defend our dear country until their last drop of blood".
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The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Tuesday briefing: What you need to know about Trump's declaration of peace between Israel and Iran
Good morning. After the United States attacked Iranian nuclear sites early on Sunday, the question was how Tehran would respond. Last night, we saw the beginnings of the answer – and, at least according to Donald Trump, the end of it. The retaliation came in the form of ballistic missile attacks on a US base in Qatar. While the Iranian authorities called the operation a 'mighty and successful response', no Americans were harmed – apparently by design. Trump described it as a 'very weak response', suggested that the Iranians had 'gotten it all out of their 'system'', and added: 'CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!' Two hours later, Trump elaborated on that grandiloquent social media post with another one, claiming that Israel and Iran had 'fully agreed' a 'Complete and Total CEASEFIRE' that would immediately be followed by a permanent peace. Amid reported surprise among his own officials and considerable broader confusion, Iran made its own announcement of a ceasefire – but Israel is yet to do the same, and Iranian missiles struck southern Israel (pictured below) around the time that the arrangement was supposed to kick in. So was this a final flurry, or a sign of trouble? That may be clearer soon than it is right now – and you can follow the live blog for the latest. Today's newsletter explains a chaotic night that might herald the end of the war – and what the long-term consequences of US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities could be. Here are the headlines. Protest | UK home secretary Yvette Cooper has vowed to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws, after activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painted two military planes. PA's lawyers said that Cooper's proposal was an attack on freedom of expression and assembly. Politics | Labour MPs have launched a significant rebellion against the government's benefit cuts with an amendment that could kill its welfare bill, spearheaded by senior select committee chairs and which sources say could be signed by up to 100 MPs. NHS | UK health secretary Wes Streeting has launched a national investigation into 'systemic' failures in NHS maternity services in England, saying 'maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing' and there is 'too much passing the buck'. Ukraine | Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia, Iran and North Korea as a 'coalition of murderers' during a visit to London, where he held talks with Kier Starmer on how to put further pressure on Moscow to end the war. Ukraine's president has accused Tehran of being complicit in Russia's invasion. Music | U2 guitarist The Edge has officially become an Irish citizen, 62 years after moving from Britain to Ireland, in a step he said was 'long overdue'. Less than an hour ago, Donald Trump published a new post on Truth Social: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT,' he wrote. 'PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' If he has now gone to bed, that marks the end of a confusing night of posts from the US president, with mixed responses coming from Iran and Israel. But while Trump's habit of making unilateral announcements on social media can be confusing, his declaration does appear to have held up so far, with neither side attacking the other in the meantime. Here's what else you need to know about a confusing night, and how we got here. What did Trump announce – and why? Trump's announcement, and numerous later posts also on Truth Social, vibrate with his longing for a Nobel peace prize. (It's not subtle: his initial message included a reflection that 'This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!' Another featured a meme of him kissing the American flag with the text 'Trump was right about everything'.) By Trump's account, Israel and Iran each approached him asking for a peace deal. Reuters reported that he had held personal talks with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while JD Vance held parallel talks with Tehran, with Qatar acting as a mediator to secure Iran's agreement. The plan Trump laid out was due to begin with an Iranian ceasefire six hours later, 'when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions'. Then, 12 hours later, Israel would also end hostilities, and after a full day, there would be 'an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR'. Even if Trump's announcement was unconventional – and, according to the New York Times, took senior White House officials by surprise – there had been signs that something was shifting. Iran's carefully calibrated response appeared designed to avoid triggering a further US attack – more on that below. And Benjamin Netanyahu had already indicated that Israel's operation may soon draw to a close, saying that the country is 'very, very close' to achieving its war aims. What happened next? There were reports that Israel's attacks on Tehran intensified, which is not an unusual development in the last hours before a ceasefire as militaries seek to maximise their advantage. At 4.16am Iran Standard Time, the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that there was no agreement 'as of now' but that 'provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards'. Twenty minutes later, Araghchi said: 'The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4am.' Iranian state television later announced that an overall ceasefire had begun. But an Iranian missile barrage struck Israel after Trump's deadline for them to end operations had passed. In Israel, meanwhile, there was no acknowledgement of Trump's announcement. There were no new Israeli strikes on Iran reported after 4am – but a few minutes ago Israel said that it had destroyed missile launchers 'in recent hours in western Iran'. How did Iran's attack on the US shape what followed? In yesterday's newsletter, the Iran expert Mohammad Ali Shabani suggested that Iran would probably feel some kind of kinetic response was required 'to show a domestic audience that they are not defeated', but noted that there might be a desire for a 'bloodless' attack to avoid triggering a further US reaction. That appears to be what happened later in the day. So carefully did Iran measure its response to symbolically fit the American strikes that a statement by the Supreme national security council noted that the 'number of missiles used were the same number as bombs the US had used on three Iranian nuclear sites'. If the claim was parity, the truth was that this was a materially inconsequential attack. It was aimed at the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command, Al Udeid airbase, which is about 30km south-west of the Qatari capital of Doha. About 10,000 troops are based there. As well as giving warning of an imminent attack, Iran said that it was targeted because it was away from population centres. In advance of the US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday, satellite images showed that fighter jets, drones and transport planes that are ordinarily on the tarmac at Al Udeid had gone, with 40 aircraft down to just three by Thursday. A Qatari official said that the base had been evacuated on Monday before the attack took place. Qatar also said that it had successfully intercepted all but one of 19 missiles fired before they reached the base. Airspace over the country was closed but swiftly reopened. Earlier reports that a missile had also been launched at a US base in Iraq – including a reference in a statement from Iran's official press agency – turned out to be a false alarm. Qatar responded angrily, but also called for 'a serious return to the negotiating table'. Other countries in the region were also critical of Tehran. But most significantly, Donald Trump interpreted it as a ritualistic step which did not require a further American response – and suggested that he would now press Israel to de-escalate. It came after a day of heavy activity on which it struck Tehran's notorious Evin prison, calling it an 'agency of government repression', and a paramilitary headquarters. It also followed the US strike on the Fordow nuclear facility by blowing up roads leading to the site. Is Trump's victory lap justified? By one measure, and if the ceasefire holds, it is reasonable to see Trump's gamble in attacking Iran's nuclear sites as having paid off. While Iran found a way to declare victory, its military capacity has been significantly degraded by Israeli attacks over the last 12 days. The calculation that it would feel too weak to open a major confrontation with the US over a significant assault setting back its nuclear capabilities by years appears to have been the right one. He can also reasonably say that he has brokered an end to the conflict, though it appears likely that Israel would have reached a similar view about the diminishing value of further conflict – and with its own interceptor missiles running low – in any case. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion But by another analysis, the long-term consequences of the US attack on Iran are much less clear. Many analysts suggest that Iran will ultimately be able to reconstruct its nuclear programme, and that it is likely to seek to do so in secret; meanwhile, Iranian public support for having a nuclear weapon appears to have risen. Before the attacks, Iran had an estimated stockpile of 408kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity – approaching the grade required for nuclear weapons. Trucks and security convoys were seen at the Fordow nuclear facility in the days before the US strikes, and after Trump telegraphed their likelihood; Israeli officials have assessed that the uranium is likely to have been moved away. Its whereabouts is currently unknown. The mystery of DB Cooper – who held a plane for ransom for $200,000, then parachuted out in a suit – has never been solved. Daniel Lavelle has a fun piece on the trail of a phantom (shown above). Archie Everything is bigger in New York – especially the rats. The intrepid Alaina Demopoulos goes on an evening 'rat walk' to find out what she can do to help prevent her city from being overrun. Includes a truly revolting detail about the rodents' nutritional habits. Alex Needham, acting head of newsletters This week's How We Made is about Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and reveals, among other things, that Chris Tarrant practised his gormless face – and that, as with most great quiz formats, the real genius is in the commissioning. Archie On the Reform-leaning section of TikTok, writes William Davies in the London Review of Books, 'Starmer's Britain' is depicted as a barely livable hellhole – and the resentment stoked by the algorithm is building by the day. Alex Would you pay £590m for a mere mile of road? That's how much the government is giving to the Lower Thames Crossing, while smaller local interventions like parks and bus services lose out. George Monbiot is characterically precise about who these 'prestige' infrastructure projects truly benefit. Craille Maguire Gillies, production editor, newsletters Cricket | Rishabh Pant (pictured above) became the first India batsman to score hundreds in both innings of a Test against England on Monday's fourth day at Headingley, before the hosts hit back to set up a dramatic finale to the series opener. Olympics | Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and first African to become president of the International Olympics Committee. In a ceremony in which she took over from Thomas Bach, the former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe vowed to change people's lives. Football | Woody Johnson, former US ambassador to the UK and owner of the New York Jets, has agreed to buy a £190m stake in Crystal Palace FC, offering a boost to their hopes to play in the Europa League next season. Donald Trump's announcement of a 'complete and total ceasefire' between Iran and Israel came late enough that it didn't make newspaper first editions, but some caught up later. The Guardian leads with 'Trump: Israel and Iran have agreed to a 'total ceasefire''. The Telegraph has 'Trump: Ceasefire agreed with Iran'. The Financial Times has 'Tehran unleashes missile assault on key American military base in Qatar'. The Times runs with 'Iran fires missiles at US bases in Middle East'. The i reports comments from the UK foreign secretary, with 'UK 'is ready to defend our allies' - as Iran attacks American base'. The Mail asks 'So whose side are you on, Sir Keir?' The Mirror simply goes with 'War games'. And the Daily Express reflects Trump's earlier comments with 'Trump: time for peace after Iran's 'very weak' attack'. Can the UK stay out of Trump's war in Iran? Guardian deputy political editor Jessica Elgot on whether the UK government – despite calling for de-escalation for weeks – might be dragged into the conflict in Iran. This episode was recorded before Trump's announcement late on Monday that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad 'Travelling solo,' says Hannah J Davies (pictured above), 'is a pleasure, a tonic and, occasionally, a character-building experience.' When her social circle started getting married, having kids or moving away, Davies found that solo jaunts were often easier to organise and less stressful, writing: 'I have floated around bars by myself in Barcelona; sampled the best Korean food for one that Toulouse had to offer; gone to the beach solo in Marseille; and almost caused security incidents on various European trains by trailing an illegally large suitcase behind me.' Though Davies has the occasional challenge, it is all worth it, she writes for The one change that worked: 'I'm grateful for the peace – and for Duolingo.' Sign up here for a weekly roundup of The Upside, sent to you every Sunday And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
South Wales Guardian
23 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Prime Minister heads to Nato summit as Trump declares Israel-Iran ceasefire
Mr Trump said on Monday night he had secured the 'complete and total ceasefire' following Iran's retaliation against a US strike on its nuclear facilities. Iran's foreign minister said it would stop attacks if Israel stopped its own strikes by 4am Tehran time (2am BST) on Tuesday while state television said a ceasefire had begun. Israel has declined to comment on Mr Trump's ceasefire post on social media, but said four people had been killed by Iranian missile strikes after the 4am deadline, with the Israel Airports Authority adding the country's skies were closed to planes until further notice. "CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE…" –President Donald J. Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 23, 2025 Ahead of the two-day summit in the Netherlands, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said Sir Keir would continue to press for a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Iran crisis. The UK lifted advice for its citizens to shelter in place in Qatar after Iran launched a retaliatory attack on the US Al Udeid military base. Qatar also reopened its airspace. Mr Trump called Iran's action 'a very weak response' and thanked Tehran 'for giving us early notice' to avoid any casualties. He later said in a Truth Social post that Israel and Iran had agreed a 'complete and total ceasefire' to be phased in over 24 hours, saying the two countries had approached him 'almost simultaneously'. He said the ceasefire would be phased-in over 24 hours, giving the two countries six hours to have 'wound down and completed their in progress, final missions'. 'The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS!' he posted later. 'They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH.' As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO "agreement" on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no… — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025 A senior White House official said Mr Trump had been in contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ceasefire plan, while vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff had been in communication with Iran through direct and indirect channels. Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X there was 'NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations'. But he said Iran had 'no intention' of continuing attacks if Israel stopped its 'illegal aggression against the Iranian people' by 4am Tehran time (2am BST), around a quarter of an hour before his post. He added a 'final decision' on ending military operations would be made later. Israeli airstrikes targeted Tehran before the 4am deadline, while Israel reported three waves of missiles from Iran overnight emergency services saying the barrage had killed four people in Beersheba in the south of the country. The Israeli UN mission said it had no comment on the president's post. Meanwhile, the UK started evacuating Britons from Israel, with the first group of 63 flown back via Cyprus. Downing Street said 'around 1,000' people had requested a seat on an evacuation flight – a quarter of the 4,000 who had registered their presence in Israel or Palestine with the Foreign Office. The Government has withdrawn staff from its embassy in Iran and it is operating 'remotely', Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs. Mr Lammy previously spoke of a two-week window for a diplomatic solution after Mr Trump's apparent decision last week to delay US military action, but on Monday said the window had 'narrowed' although the need for a diplomatic solution remained. Mr Lammy said: 'My message for Tehran was clear, take the off ramp, dial this thing down, and negotiate with the United States seriously and immediately. 'The alternative is an even more destructive and far-reaching conflict, which could have unpredictable consequences.'
The Guardian
24 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Oil slumps and markets rally as Trump announces Iran-Israel ceasefire
Update: Date: 2025-06-24T05:58:20.000Z Title: Introduction: Oil falls back as geopolitical fears ease Content: Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. The geopolitical fears that have gripped the markets for almost two weeks are fading, after President Trump declared that Israel and Iran have negotiated a ceasefire. The oil price has slumped back to its levels before the Israel-Iran conflict began, easing fears of a stagflationary slump hurting the world economy. Brent crude tumbled on Monday, as hopes rose for a lasting pause in the Middle East clashes. It's dropped by another 3.1% this morning to $69.25 per barrel. That's Brent's lowest level since 11 June, the day before Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran's nuclear and military sites. Monday's selloff was a surprise – oil slumped after Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike on a US airbase which was well-telegraphed in advance, and unsuccessful. That eased fears that Tehran might attempt to close the strait of Hormuz, disrupting the flow of a third of the world's oil. The oil selloff continued on Tuesday morning, after Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was in force. Just after 6am UK time, he posted: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' Markets across the Asia-Pacific region have rallied, while the US dollar is dipping as investors move out of safe-haven currencies (details to follow..). 8am BST: UK grocery inflation report from Kantar 2.30pm BST: Treasury committee hearing into fair pricing 3pm BST: Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey testifies to the Lords Economic Affairs Committee 3pm BST: Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell testifies to Congress 3pm Update: Date: 2025-06-24T06:05:16.000Z Title: Asia-Pacific markets rally Content: Stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region have been swept higher by hopes of a lasting ceasefire in the Middle East. China's main markets are up between 1.1% and 1.6%, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng gaining 1.8%. In South Korea, the KOSPI index has jumped over 3%, while Japan's Nikkei 225 is up 1.3%. The ''tentative ceasefire' between Iran and Israel is supporting a relief rally, reports Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at who explains: The moves in the markets have been considerable, especially as market participants priced-out the war premium that had been slowly discounted over the course of the past fortnight and had briefly increased at the Asian open yesterday. Oil prices are down almost 9% on that fact alone, taking pressure off yields and helping stock valuations rebound, with Wall Street surging, led by longer-duration stocks in the tech space. Ultimately, the drop in implied volatility also boosted stocks prices, as investors looked beyond the conflict between Iran and Israel. There is always the risk of complacency and that these moves are premature. But, once again, as long as the aforementioned parameters remain unmet, the moves are likely to stick. Update: Date: 2025-06-24T05:57:29.000Z Title: Introduction: Oil falls back as geopolitical fears ease Content: Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. The geopolitical fears that have gripped the markets for almost two weeks are fading, after President Trump declared that Israel and Iran have negotiated a ceasefire. The oil price has slumped back to its levels before the Israel-Iran conflict began, easing fears of a stagflationary slump hurting the world economy. Brent crude tumbled on Monday, as hopes rose for a lasting pause in the Middle East clashes. It's dropped by another 3.1% this morning to $69.25 per barrel. That's Brent's lowest level since 11 June, the day before Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran's nuclear and military sites. Monday's selloff was a surprise – oil slumped after Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike on a US airbase which was well-telegraphed in advance, and unsuccessful. That eased fears that Tehran might attempt to close the strait of Hormuz, disrupting the flow of a third of the world's oil. The oil selloff continued on Tuesday morning, after Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was in force. Just after 6am UK time, he posted: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' Markets across the Asia-Pacific region have rallied, while the US dollar is dipping as investors move out of safe-haven currencies (details to follow..). 8am BST: UK grocery inflation report from Kantar 2.30pm BST: Treasury committee hearing into fair pricing 3pm BST: Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey testifies to the Lords Economic Affairs Committee 3pm BST: Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell testifies to Congress 3pm
