US President Donald Trump expressed strong frustration after the ceasefire he brokered between Israel and Iran fell apart within hours of its announcement. The truce, which Trump publicly took credit for, was broken just two and a half hours after it came into effect.
Ceasefire Collapses Quickly
Trump had announced on Monday night that both nations had agreed to stop hostilities. But by Tuesday morning, reports of missile attacks surfaced. Israel claimed that Iran fired two ballistic missiles toward northern Israel around 10:30 am—well after the ceasefire had been confirmed to start at 5 am GMT.
Trump woke up in Washington to the news of the breach. While Israel blamed Iran for firing first, Trump directed his strongest criticism at Israel.
Trump Orders Israeli Planes to Turn Back
When Israeli warplanes launched a retaliation strike in response to the Iranian missiles, Trump stepped in. He immediately ordered Israeli jets to stop their bombing missions midair. He warned that going ahead with the attack would be a “major violation.”
In a blunt remark reported by NBC News, Trump said, “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”
Trump Blasts Israel for Premature Bombing
Trump was also upset about Israel’s airstrikes that took place after the agreement was reached but before the official start of the ceasefire. He criticized the amount of bombing that occurred during that brief window.
Trump later told reporters, “I think they both violated it.” He added, “I don’t think, I’m not sure they did it intentionally. They couldn’t reign people back. I don’t like the fact that Israel went out this morning at all, and I’m going to see if I can stop it.”
Conflict Escalated After U.S. Strikes on Iran
This sudden escalation followed a dramatic U.S. move. Just days earlier, the American military had launched its first-ever direct strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran fired missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday. Thankfully, no casualties were reported.
Despite that attack, Trump tried to calm tensions by announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran shortly afterward.
Netanyahu Agrees to Call Off Strikes
By Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Israel had hit Tehran overnight. Iran responded with missile attacks that killed four people in Israel.
As tensions grew, Trump turned to social media to pressure Israel. In a post written in all capital letters, he declared that bombing Iran would be a “major violation.”
He told reporters, “I’m not happy with Israel,” and quickly added, “I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy if Israel’s going out this morning.”
Later, Trump wrote online, “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran.” He reassured the public by adding, “Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!”
Trump also said that Netanyahu agreed to stop further attacks after their phone call. He told reporters, “You gotta call back the planes. It’s enough. It’s enough. And they did, which I respect very greatly, so nobody was killed.”
“They’re Both Tired of It,” Says Trump
When asked if he feared more violence, Trump replied, “I think they’re both tired of it… and Iran’s not going to have a nuclear weapon. I think it’s the last thing on their mind right now.”
Weeks of Bloodshed
The recent fighting started in mid-June, when Israel began attacking Iran. That led to almost two weeks of deadly violence. Officials say hundreds have died in Iran, and dozens in Israel.
Iran continues to support groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel’s war with Hamas, which started after the October 7, 2023 attack, has killed over 55,000 people in Gaza—most of them civilians—according to local authorities.