Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his support for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Iran announced by President Donald Trump, while warning that Israel would “respond forcefully to any violation” of the truce.
Trump declared the ceasefire late Monday, calling for an initial 12-hour pause in hostilities, followed by a full cessation of the conflict—dubbed by Trump as the “12 Day War”—12 hours later. Iran signaled conditional agreement to the ceasefire, indicating it would halt military operations if Israel did the same.
If the ceasefire holds, it could be seen as a major win for Trump’s “peace through strength” strategy and his high-stakes decision to join Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities—an escalation that risked igniting a regional war.
Israel Declares Strategic Success
Netanyahu, speaking Tuesday morning, said Israel’s Operation Rising Lion had achieved its core objective: eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat.
“Israel has removed from itself an immediate existential double threat—both nuclear and missile-based,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “The IDF has achieved full air superiority over Tehran, dealt a significant blow to Iran’s military leadership, and destroyed dozens of government targets.”
He also claimed that Israeli forces killed hundreds of Basij paramilitary members—part of Iran’s internal security network—and neutralized another senior nuclear scientist.
Netanyahu thanked President Trump and the U.S. for their military partnership, calling it critical to neutralizing Iran’s nuclear program.
“This is a tremendous success for the people of Israel and for our soldiers,” Netanyahu said. “We have ensured the safety and the future of our nation.”
He urged Israelis to continue following instructions from the Home Front Command until the ceasefire is fully verified, and expressed condolences to families of the dead and wounded.
Iran Responds Cautiously
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi initially rejected the notion of a formal agreement, but said Iran would halt operations if Israel ceased its attacks by 4 a.m. Tehran time.
“There is no agreement,” Araghchi posted on X (formerly Twitter), “but if Israeli aggression ends, so will our response.”
Shortly after the deadline passed, he confirmed Iran had ended its operations “at the very last minute,” praising the armed forces for standing firm.
Trump Celebrates the End of War
President Trump celebrated the ceasefire as a diplomatic triumph. Posting to Truth Social early Tuesday, he urged both sides not to break the deal: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”
In a separate message, he congratulated Israel and Iran for ending the conflict: “This is a war that could have lasted for years and destroyed the entire Middle East—but it didn’t, and never will!”
Trump gave special recognition to the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber pilots who conducted the airstrike on Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow nuclear site.
“We couldn’t have made today’s deal without the courage of our great B-2 pilots and all involved in that operation,” Trump wrote. “Ironically, that perfect strike helped bring both sides to the table.”
The ceasefire, if it endures, marks the end of nearly two weeks of intense fighting between Iran and Israel, sparked by Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and followed by escalating missile exchanges. Both sides claimed military victories, while the world watches closely to see if peace will hold—or if the region will be drawn back into war.
