Trump announces a ceasefire in Iran-Israel war; Iran to halt its fire if Israel stops its strikes
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Iran said that as long as Israel stopped its attacks early Tuesday morning, it would halt theirs.
Israel did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire, but there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 a.m. local. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Tehran and other cities until shortly before that time. Israel in other conflicts has stepped up its strikes just before ceasefires took effect.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iranian missile barrage strikes Israel after deadline Trump announced for ceasefire passes
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. But the status of a possible ceasefire remained tentative after an Iranian missile barrage struck Israel after a first deadline for the proposal. The Iranian barrages sent Israelis hurrying into bomb shelters as the sun rose, killing at least three people and injuring eight others, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said. Israel has yet to acknowledge Trump's proposal, which gives Israel more time to potentially strike back though Iran on its state television announced an overall ceasefire had begun at 7:30 a.m. local time. In Beersheba, first responders said they retrieved four bodies from one building and were searching for more. The streets around the impact site were littered with glass and debris, windows were blown out of buildings as anxious neighbors stood outside their damaged houses. The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel came just days after the city's hospital sustained significant damage in a missile strike. The Israeli military said people could leave bomb shelters but cautioned the public to stay close to shelter for the coming hours. Trump's announcement that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Israel has not acknowledged the Trump ceasefire announcement. Trump's announcement on Truth Social said the ceasefire beginning about midnight Washington time would bring an 'Official END' to the war. Israel doesn't confirm ceasefire but appears to pause strikes Israel did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire, but there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 a.m. in Tehran. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Iranian cities until shortly before that time. Israel in other conflicts has stepped up its strikes just before ceasefires took effect. 'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X. 'However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.' His message was posted at 4:16 a.m. Tehran time. Araghchi added: 'The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.' The Israeli military declined to comment on Trump's ceasefire statement and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Trump describes conflict as '12 Day War' Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the '12 Day War.' That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the 'Six Day War,' in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Trump's reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories. Trump communicated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels. The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal. It's unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, played in the talks. He said earlier on social media that he would not surrender. Iran's attack against US implied willingness to de-escalate Iran attacked a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday, but appeared to indicate it was prepared to reduce tensions. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump, who dismissed the attack as a 'very weak response.' Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base as 'a flagrant violation' of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage. Iran said the volley 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. Qatar Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said 19 missiles were fired at the base that is home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest such wing in the world. Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were knocked down and one was 'set free' because it posed no threat. Iran announced the attack on state television, with a caption calling it 'a mighty and successful response' to 'America's aggression.' Earlier reports that a missile was launched at a base housing American forces in Iraq were a false alarm, a senior U.S. military official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said debris from a malfunctioning Iranian missile targeting Israel had triggered an alert of an impending attack on the Ain al-Assad base. By early Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace over the Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signaling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed. The Israel Airport Authority said that the barrages from Iran forced them to close the country's skies to all passenger planes that were expected to land and depart on Tuesday, including emergency flights. Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media. Israel's airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights had started arriving and departing over the past few days. Israel and Iran trade attacks Israel and Iran traded barrages early Tuesday morning. Iran struck Israel with missiles and drones while Israel said it attacked 'regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.' In Tehran, Israel hit the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests and blew open a gate at Evin prison, which is known for holding political activists. Iranian state television aired footage it said was shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran said many families of detainees 'have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones' in the prison. The Israeli military also confirmed it struck roads around Iran's Fordo enrichment facility to obstruct access to the site. The underground site was one of those hit in Sunday's attack by the United States. The Israeli military did not elaborate. In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected there to be heavy damage at the Fordo facility following Sunday's U.S. airstrike there with sophisticated bunker-buster bombs. Several Iranian officials, including Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, have claimed Iran removed nuclear material from targeted sites ahead of time. Trump floats regime change Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran's government, their archenemy since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. But the latest strikes unfolded only hours after Trump himself mentioned the possibility of regime change a day after inserting America into the war with its stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites. 'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' he asked on his Truth Social website. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as 'simply raising a question.' Before the news of a ceasefire, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss high-level internal deliberations, said Israel aimed to wind down the war in the coming days, but that it would depend on the Iranians. Israel's preferred outcome is for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and reenter negotiations with the U.S. over its nuclear program, the official said. But Israel is prepared for the possibility of an extended low-intensity war of attrition or period of 'quiet for quiet,' in which it would closely monitor Iran's activities and strike if it identifies new threats. Conflict has killed hundreds In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 387 civilians and 268 security force personnel. The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said. There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel. ___ Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, Abby Sewell in Beirut, Elise Morton in London, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Ella Joyner in Brussels, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Latest: Iranian missile strikes kill 4 in southern Israel as ceasefire deadline is reached
Iranian state television reported Tuesday that a ceasefire had begun in its war with Israel, even as Israel warned the public of a new missile barrage launched from Iran. The launches came after 4 a.m. local time in Tehran, the time Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would stop its attacks if Israel ended their airstrikes. At least four people were killed in the early morning barrages, but there was no immediate word of further attacks. Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said at least eight more people were injured in the early morning barrage. Waves of missiles sent Israelis to bomb shelters for almost two hours in the morning. Trump's announcement that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Israel so far has not acknowledged the Trump ceasefire announcement. Here is the latest: Israel closes its airspace The Israel Airports Authority said the barrages from Iran forced them to close the skies to all passenger planes, including emergency flights that were expected to land and depart on Tuesday. Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media. Israel's airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights had started arriving and departing over the past few days. Israeli firefighters rescue children trapped in rubble Israeli firefighters said they rescued at least three people, including children trapped in the rubble of an apartment building after an Iranian missile barrage struck southern Israel. In Beersheba, first responders cordoned off blocks as they tried to assess how many people had been killed and injured. The streets around the impact site were littered with glass and debris, windows were blown out of buildings as anxious neighbors stood outside their damaged houses. Iran state television announces ceasefire has begun Iranian state television reported Tuesday that a ceasefire had begun in its war with Israel, even as Israel warned the public of a new missile barrage launched from Iran. It wasn't immediately possible to reconcile the messages from Iran and Israel on the 12th day of their war. Iranian state television announced the ceasefire in a graphic on screen, not immediately acknowledging the new missile barrage coming after the deadline set by President Donald Trump in his earlier ceasefire announcement. Israel warned of another wave of incoming missiles 20 minutes after the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect. At least 3 killed and 8 injured in latest Iranian barrage, Israel says Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said at least three people were killed and eight injured in the early morning barrage. A residential building in Israel's south sustained heavy damage, emergency responders said. Waves of missiles sent Israelis across the country to bomb shelters for almost two hours Tuesday morning.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
As US cities heighten security, Iran's history of reprisal points to murder-for-hire plots
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security is warning of a 'heightened threat environment' following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and the deputy FBI director says the bureau's 'assets are fully engaged' to prevent retaliatory violence, while local law enforcement agencies in major cities like New York say they're on high alert. No credible threats to the homeland have surfaced publicly in the days since the stealth American attack. It's also unclear what bearing a potential ceasefire announced Monday by the U.S. between Israel and Iran might have on potential threats or how lasting such an arrangement might be. More from The Star & partners
