Washington, June 24

In a dramatic turn of events, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” signaling a swift and unexpected end to the 12-day war between the two longtime adversaries.

Posting on his Truth Social platform at 5:02 p.m. Washington time (1:02 a.m. Tuesday in Israel), Trump said the ceasefire would be implemented in two phases over the next 24 hours, starting with Iran.

“Iran will start the ceasefire and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the ceasefire and, upon the 24th Hour, an official end to the 12 Day War,” Trump wrote.

The ceasefire announcement comes just hours after Iran launched retaliatory missile strikes against U.S. military assets in the region, following a U.S.-backed Israeli airstrike that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. The conflict had rapidly escalated, raising fears of a broader regional war.

Trump, who claimed credit for mediating the deal, congratulated both nations for demonstrating what he called the “stamina, courage, and intelligence to end” a conflict that he warned “could have gone on for years.”

While details of the ceasefire arrangement have not yet been made public by either government, sources familiar with the negotiations say backchannel diplomacy involving several Gulf states and European intermediaries played a critical role in securing the truce.

If implemented successfully, the ceasefire would mark the formal conclusion of what is now being referred to as the “12-Day War” — a short but intense military confrontation with significant implications for the Middle East and global security.