President Trump said on social media Monday night that Israel and Iran had agreed to halt their fighting, declaring an end to what he called “The 12 Day War.”
The ceasefire is reportedly set to begin in stages over the next 24 hours, with Iran initiating a pause in attacks first, followed by Israel, and culminating in a full cessation of hostilities by the 24th hour.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump posted.
“Upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.”
Neither Israel nor Iran has confirmed the existence of any agreement, and military operations were still underway at the time of the announcement.
Israel’s Defence Minister said operations in Iran were continuing with “unprecedented force,” even as reports surfaced that Tel Aviv had sent signals via Arab intermediaries expressing willingness to end the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly stated he is not seeking a prolonged war, noting the high cost of continued missile interceptions and civilian casualties.
Iran, for its part, has yet to officially respond to Trump’s claims.
The conflict, which erupted nearly two weeks ago following a surge of cross-border attacks and sabotage operations, escalated sharply after the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In retaliation, Iran launched a missile barrage targeting the US-run Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
All missiles were reportedly intercepted, and no casualties were reported, according to Trump and Qatari officials.
In an interview on Fox News shortly after the ceasefire claim, Vice President JD Vance praised Trump’s handling of the crisis, revealing the post was drafted only minutes before airing.
“The president was working the phones even as I left the White House,” Vance said. He also confirmed that US strikes had degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities, claiming “Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have.”
Despite the optimism in Washington, analysts remain cautious. With no confirmation from the involved parties and ongoing military activity, questions remain about whether a ceasefire truly exists — or if the US announcement is aimed at pressuring Tehran into accepting terms.
In a sign of cooling tensions elsewhere, Qatar’s civil aviation authority has reopened its airspace, saying “the atmosphere has returned to normal.”
This follows the brief closure after Iran’s missile attack on the US base there.
For now, the world watches and waits to see whether Tehran will respond in kind — or if the war will drag on despite calls for peace.