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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
World
RFI

US says Iran-Israel ceasefire now in force

US President Donald Trump arriving at the White House, Saturday, 21 June, 2025, in Washington. AP - Jose Luis Magana

US President Donald Trump announced that Iran and Israel have agreed to a staggered ceasefire beginning on Tuesday that would bring about an "official end" to their conflict. But continued missile fire and conflicting statements cast doubt on the situation.

"THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday.

Trump said the ceasefire would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations. Israel would follow suit 12 hours later, the president said.

The adversaries have been swapping missile fire since Israel carried out surprise "preemptive" strikes against Iran on 13 June, targeting nuclear and military sites, prompting Trump to warn of a possible "massive" regional conflict.

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry has said. Twenty-four people have died in Iran's attacks on Israel, according to official figures.

Israel said early Tuesday it had agreed to Trump's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire with Iran but will "react with force" to any violation.

"Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence," the statement said.

"Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the cabinet... to announce that Israel had achieved all the objectives of Operation 'Rising Lion' and much more," the government said in a statement, adding that it had removed "an immediate dual existential threat: nuclear and ballistic".

Just hours before Trump's latest announcement, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that "as of now, there is NO 'agreement' on ceasefire or cessation of military operations".

"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," he said on social media.

Trump says US attack 'obliterated' Iran nuclear sites

Overnight strikes

At least four people were killed in a multi-wave Iranian missile attack shortly before the staggered ceasefire was meant to enter into force, Israeli emergency services and the military said.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said three people were pronounced dead at the scene of a strike in the southern city of Beersheba while a fourth was added in an update to its figures.

Explosions also continued to rock Tehran overnight, with explosions in the north and center of the Iranian capital described by journalists as some of the strongest since the conflict broke out.

Iran media reported that overnight Israeli strikes on residential buildings killed nine people in the north of the country and says a nuclear scientist was also killed.

Police officers inspect residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike that killed several people, in Beersheba, Israel, on Tuesday, 24 June, 2025. © AP/Leo Correa

US base in Qatar hit

The US leader's ceasefire announcement came hours after Iran launched missiles at the largest US military facility in the Middle East – Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – in a move Trump shrugged off as "very weak."

Calling for a de-escalation, Trump said Tehran had given advance notice of the barrage and the base had been evacuated. No one had been hurt in the attack, Trump said.

Iran's National Security Council confirmed having targeted the base "in response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran's nuclear sites and facilities."

Macron reiterates call for resumption of diplomacy to stop Middle East conflict

But it added that the number of missiles launched "was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used" – a signal that it had calibrated its response to be directly proportional rather than escalatory.

Iran said its assault in Qatar wasn't targeting the Middle Eastern neighbor, but the government in Doha accused Tehran of "blatant aggression" and claimed its right to a "proportional" response.

Air space closed

Qatar earlier announced the temporary closure of its airspace in light of "developments in the region," while the US embassy and other foreign missions warned their citizens to shelter in place.

The broadside was made up of "short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles," a US defense official said.

"This was calibrated and telegraphed in a way that would not result in any American casualties, so that there is an off ramp for both sides," Ali Vaez, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group, told AFP.

The offensive came after the United States joined its ally Israel's military campaign against Iran, attacking an underground uranium enrichment center with massive bunker-busting bombs and hitting two other nuclear facilities overnight Saturday into Sunday.

(with AFP)

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