President Donald Trump on Tuesday rebuffed US media reports of intel finding the US strikes on Iran only set back Tehran's nuclear program by a few months.

"THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED!" the president posted on Truth Social.

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.

The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, which will carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members to the International Space Station as part of the Axion-4 mission, was delayed again on Wednesday - for the fourth time since May 29.

India's second astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is poised to make history as he prepares to fly to the International Space Station aboard the Axiom-4 mission, also known as Mission Akash Ganga.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "historic victory" against Iran despite a US intelligence report concluding that American strikes set back Tehran's nuclear program by just a few months.

Netanyahu, in an address to the nation after the ceasefire, announced that "we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project".

"And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he said.

Israel had said its bombing campaign, which began on June 13, was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.

Israel's military said that its strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme "by years".

Most equities extended a global rally Wednesday after Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire that ended more than a week of hostilities, while the dollar struggled to recover from a sharp drop stoked by bets on a US interest rate cut.

However, wariness over the agreement by the Middle East foes helped oil prices climb, though they are still well down from their highs on Monday.

Stocks surged and oil tanked on the news, and the optimism rolled into Wednesday, with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney and Singapore leading the gains across Asia. Tokyo edged down.

Oil prices later rose, with both main contracts up more than one percent.

Iran said Wednesday that it executed three men accused of spying for Israel, the day after a truce between the two countries came into effect.

"Idris Ali, Azad Shojai and Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, who attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations, were arrested and tried for... cooperation favouring the Zionist regime," the judiciary said, referring to Israel.

"The sentence was carried out this morning... and they were hanged."

The executions took place in Urmia, a northwestern city near the border with Turkey, the judiciary said, sharing photos of the three men in blue prison uniforms.

After mounting fears of regional spillover, the international community breathed a sigh of relief at the apparent Iran-Israel truce. Trump, who had previously toyed with "regime change" in Iran, rejected the idea en route to a NATO summit in the Netherlands.

"If there was, there was, but no I don't want it. I'd like to see everything calm down as quickly as possible," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Meeting Trump on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump's efforts, hoping it would be permanent," his office said.

Russia and Germany are among the other countries to hail the truce.

A US-proposed ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding early Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed a "historic victory" in the 12-day conflict.

In a national address Netanyahu vowed to thwart "any attempt" by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme, which armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said Israeli strikes had set back "by years".

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed his nation's "heroic resistance" in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.

Pezeshkian has said Iran will respect the ceasefire as long as Israel holds to its terms, adding that Tehran will continue to "assert its legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic power but was "ready to resolve the issues... at the negotiating table".

Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, ending 12 days of tit-for-tat strikes. However, a new intel report claimed US strikes on the Islamic republic did not destroy Tehran's nuclear program, as claimed by US President Donald Trump.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "historic victory" against Iran despite a US intelligence report concluding that American strikes set back Tehran's nuclear program by just a few months.

In an address to the nation after the ceasefire announcement, Netanyahu said "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon".

"We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project," he said. "And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt."

A major question is what happens with negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. It is not entirely clear who in Iran has the authority to make a deal or even agree to reenter talks. Ray Takeyh, a former State Department official and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Iranian leadership is at a moment of disarray — making it difficult to return to the table.

“The country’s leadership and the regime is not cohesive enough to be able to come to some sort of negotiations at this point, especially negotiations from the American perspective, whose conclusion is predetermined, namely, zero enrichment,” he said.

Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, agreed, saying the biggest challenge right now is who is in charge in Tehran.”

“Is there an Iranian negotiation team empowered to make consequential decisions?” he said. “The issue is that (Trump) is dealing with an Iranian government whose longtime identity has been based on hostility toward the the United States.”

Witkoff said the U.S. and Iran are already in early discussions, both directly and through intermediaries, about resuming negotiations. “The conversations are promising. We’re hopeful.”

At the U.N. on Tuesday, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council that “diplomacy and dialogue are the only path to resolving the unnecessary crisis over Iran’s peaceful program.”

In the aftermath of the U.S. strikes, Vice President JD Vance stressed that diplomacy is still Trump’s preferred method for ending the conflict permanently. “We didn’t blow up the diplomacy,” Vance told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “The diplomacy never was given a real chance by the Iranians. And our hope … is that this maybe can reset here."

France and its European partners are still prepared to reactivate sanctions on Iran if an agreement is not reached soon on its nuclear program, the French ambassador to the UN warned Tuesday.

"Time is running out," said Jerome Bonnnafont at a UN Security Council meeting, in reference to the October expiration of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"We expect Iran to return to talks without delay in order to achieve a robust, verifiable and lasting diplomatic solution," he added.

Bonnafont said negotiations were the only way to "guarantee the impossibility of an Iranian military nuclear program," days after the United States conducted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok produced inaccurate and contradictory responses when users sought to fact-check the Israel-Iran conflict, a study said Tuesday, raising fresh doubts about its reliability as a debunking tool.

With tech platforms reducing their reliance on human fact-checkers, users are increasingly utilizing AI-powered chatbots -- including xAI's Grok -- in search of reliable information, but their responses are often themselves prone to misinformation.

"The investigation into Grok's performance during the first days of the Israel-Iran conflict exposes significant flaws and limitations in the AI chatbot's ability to provide accurate, reliable, and consistent information during times of crisis," said the study from the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) of the Atlantic Council, an American think tank.

"Grok demonstrated that it struggles with verifying already-confirmed facts, analyzing fake visuals, and avoiding unsubstantiated claims."

Trump on Tuesday expressed his satisfaction in stopping "THE WAR" between Iran and Israel, asserting that it was his "great honour" to destroy all of Iran's nuclear facilities and capabilities before brokering a ceasefire between the two nations.

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the Iran-Israel ceasefire and urged "close dialogue" to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as he held talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a NATO summit late Tuesday.

The Turkish president "expressed his satisfaction with the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran through President Trump's efforts, hoping it would be permanent," his office said.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Trump announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a staggered ceasefire that would bring about an "official end" to their 11 day conflict.

The move came after the US joined Israel's campaign on Sunday, striking key nuclear sites, prompting a carefully-coordinated Iranian retaliation against a US base in Qatar late Monday -- which appeared to bring the confrontation to a close.

Oil prices sank for a second straight day and stock markets mostly rose Tuesday as a ceasefire between Iran and Israel appeared to be holding firm. Crude futures slumped in volatile trading after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire, extending Monday's steep losses in oil after Iran's response to the US attack did not hit energy infrastructure.

The main international and US oil contracts briefly bounced off their lows as Israel and Iran accused each other of breaking the ceasefire, but then resumed their fall after Trump berated the two countries in an expletive-laced outburst.

Prices were also brought down by Trump saying that China could continue to buy oil from Iran, in what appeared to be relief from sanctions Washington had previously imposed.

Brent futures finished the day at $67.14 down nearly seven percent after dropping by a similar percent on Monday.

Iran, Israel, and the United States all declared victory on Tuesday after 12 days of conflict that culminated in US President Donald Trump declaring a ceasefire between the two arch enemies in the Middle East. However, the uncertainty continued in West Asia, as a classified preliminary US intelligence report claimed that American strikes on Iran's nuclear program set back Tehran's nuclear program by just a few months -- rather than destroying it as declared by President Trump. 

US media on Tuesday cited people familiar with the Defence Intelligence Agency findings as saying the weekend strikes did not fully eliminate Iran's centrifuges or stockpile of enriched uranium and just sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings.

White House Press Secretary Karline Leavitt confirmed the authenticity of the assessment but said it was "flat-out wrong and was classified as 'top secret' but was still leaked."

"The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran's nuclear program," Leavitt posted on X.

"Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration," she added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar had summoned the Ambassador of Iran to Qatar, Ali Salehabadi, to reiterate the former's condemnation of the recent attack on the Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard earlier on Monday (local time).

Oil prices sank for a second straight day and stock markets mostly rose Tuesday as a ceasefire between Iran and Israel appeared to be holding firm.

France and its European partners are still prepared to reactivate sanctions on Iran if an agreement is not reached soon on its nuclear program, the French ambassador to the UN warned Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "historic victory" on Tuesday after agreeing a ceasefire with Iran and insisted that his country's arch-foe would never achieve a nuclear weapon.

Leaders of Britain, France and Germany said on Tuesday that it was now "time for diplomacy", as a shaky ceasefire began to take hold between Israel and Iran.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said that US President Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize as Israel and Iran agreed on ceasefire after 12-day deadly air war.

אין ספק שמגיע לנשיא טראמפ פרס נובל לשלום. אנחנו אסירי תודה לנשיא ולממשל שהפגין מנהיגות. pic.twitter.com/Zwf8vZR94W

— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) June 24, 2025

An early US intelligence assessment indicated that the US military strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities last week did not destroy the core components of Tehran's nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, CNN reported on Tuesday.

Iranian airspace will remain closed until 2 pm  (1030 GMT) on Wednesday despite a ceasefire taking effect with Israel, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.

An Israeli strike on northern Iran before the start of a ceasefire on Tuesday killed 16 people, according to a revised toll from an official cited by the ISNA news agency.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel had achieved a historic victory that would stand for generations, but it must complete its campaign against Iran's axis, defeat Hamas and bring about the return of all the hostages in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he didn't want to see "regime change" in Iran amid its conflict with Israel, adding that it would cause "chaos."

The head of Israel's military said Tuesday that its strikes had set back Iran's nuclear programme "by years" and the campaign against the country was now "entering a new phase".

"We have concluded a significant phase, but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase based on the achievements of the current one," Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said in a statement.

"We've set Iran's nuclear project back by years, and the same applies to its missile program."

(AFP)

Iran said on Tuesday that it was ready to return to negotiations with the United States, as a fragile ceasefire in its war with Israel took hold after 12 days of strikes that pummelled the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities.

But even as he appeared to express willingness to revisit nuclear talks derailed by Israel's surprise attack, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would continue to "assert its legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic power.

(AFP)

Filled with Middle Eastern grocery stores, carpet merchants and bookstores selling books in Farsi, the neighborhood is also known as "Little Persia." 

The immigrants who have made it their home include minorities often seen as discriminated against in Iran such as Jews, Christians and Assyrians.

"It's time for the Iranian people to rise up, because right now, the regime is very weak," said Fereshteh, herself Jewish, who fled Iran in the 1980s during the war between her country and Iraq. 

"We should send troops there," says Mehrnoosh, a 45-year-old woman who arrived in the United States in 2010. 

"The people there have their hands tied," she said, adding that "the regime killed so many Iranians three years ago during the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini," a student arrested for fitting her veil improperly. 

(AFP)

Israel's military said Tuesday it was lifting restrictions on public gatherings, workplaces and schools it imposed during its 12-day war with Iran after a ceasefire took effect.

"All areas of the country will shift to full activity" from 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Tuesday on the orders of Defence Minister Israel Katz, the military said in a statement. 

The guidelines will be effective until Thursday evening when they will be reviewed.

Israel's airport authority also announced that all flights to and from the country would resume.

(AFP)

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China can continue to purchase oil from Iran after the U.S. bombed the OPEC member's nuclear facilities and hoped that China would also buy "plenty" of it from the United States.

"China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also," he said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump's post came after he had announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire following the U.S. bombing over the weekend on three nuclear facilities. He has scolded both countries for early violations of the truce.

(Reuters)

Iran president announces 'end of 12-day imposed war' (AFP)

After two decades of diplomacy and, more recently, airstrikes from Israel and the US, the situation remains unresolved. President Trump's claim that three Iranian nuclear sites were "totally obliterated" during Saturday's bombing is being questioned.

The United States has helped about 400 U.S. citizens and others to fly out of Israel since Saturday amid conflict with Iran, and hopes to accommodate more in the coming days, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

"We very much know that there's still capacity, still U.S. citizens seeking to leave Israel, that the airspace is not reliably opened up. It is incredibly dynamic," the official said.

The State Department is sharing information with over 27,000 about leaving the region and safety and security, the official said, up from 25,000 last week.

(Reuters)

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that his country was not seeking nuclear weapons but will continue to defend its "legitimate rights" as a ceasefire took hold with Israel.

"We expect you to explain to them, in your dealings with the United States, that the Islamic Republic of Iran is only seeking to assert its legitimate rights," Pezeshkian said during a phone call with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, according to the official IRNA news agency. He added that Iran was "ready to resolve the issues... at the negotiating table."

(AFP)

Iran president says ready to resolve issues 'at negotiating table' (AFP)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Israel and the United States "cannot impose unjust aspirations by force", as a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel took hold after 12 days of fighting. 

"The Islamic Republic of Iran was forced into the military conflict to defend itself, and I hope that we will never be forced to fight again," Pezeshkian said during a phone call with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, according to the official IRNA news agency. 

(AFP)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Tuesday that a European accused of spying on "sensitive and military" sites was arrested in the country's south.

The arrest came as a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel took hold after 12 days of fighting, and followed multiple local media reports in recent days of individuals detained on accusations of spying for Israel. 

"A European was arrested by security forces from the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... in Hormozgan province" in the south, the Guards' Sepahnews website said, noting "the individual... entered Iran as a tourist". 

"He was gathering intelligence on sensitive and military sites," it added, without elaborating on who the suspect was accused of working for. 

(AFP)

Five weapons, apart from the Tomahawk cruise missiles and the GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, no one knew about till now, were also deployed by the US for its mission to strike Iran's three nuclear sites - Fordow, Natanz and Eshafan.

A fragile ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war appeared to be holding on Tuesday, after 12 days of strikes that saw Israel and the United States pummel the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities.

After US President Donald Trump, who had first declared the ceasefire, angrily berated both sides for violating it, Iran announced it would respect the truce if Israel did, while Israel said it had refrained from further strikes.

Israel, in announcing it had agreed to Trump's plan, said it had achieved all its military objectives.

Iran initially stopped short of officially accepting the proposal, but President Masoud Pezeshkian later said that if "the Zionist regime does not violate the ceasefire, Iran will not violate it either".

(AFP)

Tehran was far from its usual hustle and bustle on Tuesday, but life was regaining some colour despite concerns from residents that a tentative ceasefire between Iran and Israel may not hold, after nearly two weeks of war.

In Tajrish bazaar in north Tehran, everyone had their own opinion on whether the end to the fighting announced by US President Donald Trump would last.

"I don't think it is sustainable," said Ahmad Barqi, a 75-year-old vendor of electronics. "We would like a ceasefire... but they don't implement it, they don't keep to their promises," he said, referring to the Israelis.

(AFP)

Hours after US President Donald Trump's claims of an Iran-Israel ceasefire, India on Tuesday said it stands ready to play its part to resolve the situation and insisted on "dialogue and diplomacy" as the way forward.

Iran said Tuesday it had begun efforts to rebuild residential areas and public infrastructure damaged in Israeli strikes over 12 days. 

"We witnessed attacks on residential areas, as well as on scientific centres, research institutes, healthcare facilities and civilians... therefore we are facing a major task ahead in terms of reconstruction," government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told state TV, adding that the authorities have begun to assess the extent of the damage.

(AFP)

El Al Israel Airlines is working on an airlift to bring back to Israel tens of thousands of travellers stranded by widespread flight cancellations following the start of the Israel-Iran war on June 13, it said on Tuesday.

El Al, Israel's flag carrier, said that in the wake of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran after 12 days of fighting and with the gradual opening of Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, it would boost its schedule, use its full fleet and add thousands of seats in the next 24 hours.

The airline - which has cancelled regular flights through June 27 - said it would operate one-way flights from New York, Los Angeles, Bangkok, London, Paris, Rome, Athens, Budapest, Bucharest and Tbilisi.

For nearly two weeks, Israel's airspace has largely been closed as Israel and Iran traded air attacks, but Israeli carriers have, in recent days, begun rescue flights to return travellers to Israel.

(Reuters)

The B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, the world's most advanced aircraft, were used by the US in its Operation Midnight Hammer on Sunday to dismantle Iran's nuclear facilities amid Israeli claims that Tehran was on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The Kremlin on Tuesday pushed back against criticism that it had not done enough to back Iran, saying it had taken a "clear position" by condemning U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.

Israel acknowledged striking a radar installation near Tehran hours after the start of a ceasefire on Tuesday, in retaliation for Iranian missile launches, but said it had refrained from further attacks beyond that after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The prime minister's office acknowledged the strike in a statement after Trump publicly expressed frustration that Israel had launched strikes on Iran after the ceasefire agreement was reached but before it took effect.

Trump, who had announced the ceasefire overnight, also criticised Israel's plans to respond militarily to an alleged Iranian violation of the ceasefire.

(Reuters)

Qatar's prime minister said Tuesday Doha will pursue "diplomatic and legal measures" against Tehran following an Iranian attack on the US Al Udeid base hosted in the Gulf state.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that it will respect a ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump provided that Israel also upholds its terms.

"If the Zionist regime does not violate the ceasefire, Iran will not violate it either," Pezeshkian said during a phone conversation with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, according to the presidency's website.

(AFP)

As President Donald Trump floats the idea of "regime change" in Tehran, previous US attempts to remake the Middle East by force over the decades offer stark warnings about the possibility of a deepening involvement in the Iran-Israeli conflict.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Tuesday that a European accused of spying on "sensitive and military" sites was arrested in the country's south.

"A European was arrested by security forces from the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... in Hormozgan province" in the south, the Guards' Sepahnews website said, noting that "the individual... entered Iran as a tourist". 

"He was gathering intelligence on sensitive and military sites," it added, without elaborating. 

(AFP)

US President Donald Trump was clearly unhappy with Israel and Iran when he left the White House earlier today for the NATO summit at The Hague.

Israel "refrained" from further strikes on Iran on Tuesday after a call between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu's office announced.

Trump had angrily accused both Iran and Israel of violating the ceasefire he had announced late on Monday but hours later he posted that it was now in effect.

"Following President Trump's conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel refrained from further strikes," a statement said.

(AFP)

The conventional wisdom used to be that war in the Middle East would send oil prices soaring. Not anymore.

The US has released video of the B-2 Spirit bombers, involved in Operation Midnight Hammer, to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, taking off from the Whiteman Air Force base near Missouri.

Qatar's prime minister persuaded Iran to agree to a US-proposed ceasefire with Israel after Iranian missiles targeted an American base near Doha, a source with knowledge of the talks said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to the Iranians at Washington's request following Monday's unprecedented attack on Qatari soil, the source told AFP.

Qatar has good ties with both Iran and the United States and had been pushing, alongside other Gulf states including Oman, for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

"In the aftermath of the strikes on Al Udeid (military base), President (Donald) Trump told the Emir of Qatar Israel had signed off on an American ceasefire proposal," the source said.

"The US president then asked that Qatar help get Iran to agree to a deal," the source added, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Iran paramilitary Basij forces commander killed in Israeli strike: media (AFP)

Several Iranian media outlets reported on Tuesday afternoon the sound of explosions in the country's north, after US President Donald Trump said an Iran-Israel ceasefire was now "in effect".

The Etemad and Ham Mihan newspapers said explosions were heard and air defences were activated in Babol and Babolsar, two towns about 200 kilometres (124 miles) northeast of Tehran on the Caspian Sea. 

The source of the explosions was not immediately clear.

(AFP)

The ceasefire between Iran and Israel "is in effect" and Israel is not going to attack Iran, Donald Trump declared on Tuesday amid fears that the tenous ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel will not hold.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was holding, shortly after he lashed out at both countries and cursed as he accused them of violating the truce.

In a fast-moving series of declarations, the 79-year-old Republican, who was on his way to attend a NATO summit in The Hague, posted on his Truth Social app that "the Ceasefire is in effect!"

"ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly 'Plane Wave' to Iran. Nobody will be hurt," Trump wrote.

Minutes earlier, he had castigated Iran and also close US ally Israel for violating a ceasefire he had originally announced late Monday.

The two countries have been "fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing, do you understand that?" the president told reporters at the White House.

(AFP)

Genius or Joker? Or the joker who changes fortunes in a card game. If the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict is a tale of surprises, its protagonist is none other than US President Donald Trump

Iran still has stocks of enriched uranium - which is used to make nuclear weapons - and 'the game is not over', sources close to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told news agency AFP Tuesday.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Tuesday that they had taught Israel an "unforgettable lesson" with a last-minute missile salvo fired just before a ceasefire deal announced by US President Donald Trump was meant to take effect.

The Guards said in a statement that "in the final moments before the ceasefire was imposed on the enemy", they had struck "military and logistical centres of the Zionist regime across the occupied territories (Israel) with 14 missiles, delivering a historic and unforgettable lesson to the Zionist enemy".

(AFP)

President Donald Trump sharply rebuked Israel on Tuesday for its military response following a ceasefire deal, and accused both Israel and Iran of violating the agreement just hours after he announced it.

"I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal. They didn't have to unload and I didn't like the fact that the retaliation was very strong," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

"In all fairness, Israel unloaded a lot, and now I hear Israel just went out because they felt it was violated by one rocket that didn't land anywhere. That's not what we want," Trump said.

(Reuters)

Qatar's prime minister said on Tuesday relations with Iran have been scarred by an Iranian missile volley at a U.S. airbase in the Gulf Arab state, but that he hoped ties would eventually "come back to normal".

Iran responded to U.S. participation in Israel's air war against Iran by firing missiles on Monday at the Al Ubeid air base, but no one was hurt after Tehran gave advance warning, and a ceasefire was announced hours later by Washington.

(Reuters)

A ceasefire between Iran and Israel is now "in effect", US President Donald Trump said Tuesday, moments after he accused both countries of violating the truce.

"ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly 'Plane Wave' to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, shortly after telling reporters at the White House that he was "really unhappy" with Israel for breaking the deal.

(AFP)

As President Donald Trump floats the idea of "regime change" in Tehran, previous US attempts to remake the Middle East by force over the decades offer stark warnings about the possibility of a deepening involvement in the Iran-Israeli conflict.

When President Donald Trump sent US bombers to strike Iran's nuclear sites last weekend, he was betting he could help ally Israel cripple Tehran's nuclear program while keeping his long-standing vow to avoid entanglement in a protracted war.

Russia said Tuesday it would welcome a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, after both sides and US President Donald Trump announced a halt in hostilities.

"If a ceasefire has indeed been achieved, this can only be welcomed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that Moscow hoped "that this will be a sustainable ceasefire".

Iraq reopened its airspace Tuesday, 12 days after closing it amid the Iran-Israel war, aviation authorities said, following Israel's acceptance of a ceasefire plan announced by US President Donald Trump. The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced the "reopening of Iraqi airspace to international air traffic, following a comprehensive assessment of the security situation and coordination with relevant national and international authorities."

Iran's top security body on Tuesday said the Islamic republic's forces had "compelled" Israel to "unilaterally" cease fire, adding that they remained "on high alert" to respond to "any act of aggression".

Referring to a "divine gift", the Supreme National Security Council said Iran's actions against Israel led to "victory and triumph that compelled the enemy to regret, accept defeat, and unilaterally halt its aggression".

Iran's forces "remain on high alert, with fingers on the trigger, ready to deliver a decisive and regret-inducing response to any act of aggression".

Iran is assessing damage to its nuclear industry and arrangements had been made for its restoration, Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said on Tuesday according to Mehr news, after a series of Israeli and U.S. strikes targeted Iran's main nuclear facilities.

"The plan is to prevent interruptions in the process of production and services," Eslami said.

Iraq reopened its airspace Tuesday, 12 days after closing it amid the Iran-Israel war, aviation authorities said, following Israel's acceptance of a ceasefire plan announced by US President Donald Trump.

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced the "reopening of Iraqi airspace to international air traffic, following a comprehensive assessment of the security situation and coordination with relevant national and international authorities."

Before strapping into the cockpit of the US Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber for missions that can stretch beyond 40 hours, pilots undergo weeks of preparation that focuses not only on flight plans, but what to eat.

Israel on Tuesday said it will "respond forcefully" to Iran's ceasefire violation after Tehran launched a fresh barrage of missiles on the Jewish state hours after both warning enemies agreed to US President Donald Trump's ceasefire proposal.

The Israeli military reported two missiles fired from Iran mid-morning on Tuesday, leading sirens to blare in the north several hours after US President Trump announced a ceasefire plan. "Two missiles were launched from Iran and they were intercepted," a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity, with the army saying people could leave shelters around 15 minutes after the first alert. Trump announced a phased 24-hour ceasefire process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, which Israel said it had agreed to. Iran has not formally accepted a ceasefire.

Qatar summoned the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday after Iran attacked the major US military base on Qatari soil following American strikes on its nuclear facilities. The foreign ministry expressed its "strong condemnation" of the attack and repeated that it "retains the right to respond to this egregious violation", a statement said.

The Iranian state-run media said that the ceasefire with Israel came into effect following five waves of Iranian attacks on Israeli-occupied territories.

Israeli media reports test ceasefire till 7 pm local time. Israel will not conduct any military operation in Iran till 7 pm and will watch the response of Tehran before announcing longer ceasefire.

Sirens sound in north Israel as army warns of incoming Iran missiles after both countries agreed to ceasefire. 

Iran detained the family members of an Iran International journalist Saturday in retaliation for the channel's coverage of the country's war with Israel, threatening to hold them until the journalist resigned from her position.

The London-based Farsi news channel said in a statement that it strongly condemns the abduction of its journalist's family, calling it “an appalling act of hostage-taking aimed at coercing our colleague into resigning from their post.”

“This deeply reprehensible tactic marks a dangerous escalation in the regime’s ruthless campaign to silence dissent and suppress independent journalism," the news channel said. (AP)

Europe's main stock markets rose sharply in opening deals on Tuesday after Israel said it had agreed to a "bilateral ceasefire" with Iran proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The Frankfurt DAX index rose 1.9 percent, the Paris CAC 40 of blue-chip stocks gained 1.7 percent and London's FTSE 100 advanced by a more modest 0.5 percent in early trading.

Israel's opposition leader on Tuesday called for an end to the more than 20-month war with Hamas in Gaza, after Israel announced it had agreed to a ceasefire with Iran.

"And now Gaza. It's time to finish it there too. Bring back the hostages, end the war," Yair Lapid wrote on X.

The ceasefire between Iran and Israel, which brought an end to the 12-day conflict, has relieved the world

Oil prices sank more than five percent Tuesday after Israel said it had agreed to US President Donald Trump's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire with Iran.

At around 0640 GMT, Brent was up 5.0 percent at $67.93 per barrel, while the main US crude contract WTI was 5.1 percent higher at $65.01 per barrel.

Iran state media said that Israeli strike before truce killed nuclear scientist.

Iranian media on Tuesday said an overnight Israeli strike on the north of the country killed nine people, ahead of US President Donald Trump's announcement of the start of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

"Four residential buildings were completely destroyed and several neighbouring houses were damaged in the blasts," said Fars news agency, citing Ali Bagheri, an official in the northern province of Gilan.

The airspaces over Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain were closed on Monday night after Iran launched a missile attack on US military bases in Qatar in retaliation for the American strikes.

Israel and Iran on Tuesday accepted a ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to end their 12-day war that roiled the Middle East, after Tehran launched a retaliatory limited missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

The acceptance of the deal by both sides came after Tehran launched a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel that killed at least four people early Tuesday morning, while Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with Iran in coordination with Trump.

Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel’s security cabinet Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Israel also damaged Iran’s military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran’s skies, Netanyahu said.

“Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,” Netanyahu said.

The Israel Defense Force has announced that over the past few hours, fighter jets of the Air Force targeted and destroyed several surface-to-surface ballistic missile launchers in Western Iran that were ready-to-launch for this morning’s missile attack against the State of Israel.

The Israel Defense Force has announced that over the past few hours, fighter jets of the Air Force targeted and destroyed several surface-to-surface ballistic missile launchers in Western Iran that were ready-to-launch for this morning’s missile attack against the State of… pic.twitter.com/7flRJQpnjG

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 24, 2025

The Israeli Civil Aviation Authority has reopened the country’s airspace for inbound flights, following several barrages of ballistic missiles fired this morning by Iran against Israel.

Global shares rallied and the dollar extended declines on Tuesday as a ceasefire to end a 12-day war between Iran and Israel came into effect, while oil prices dived to nearly two-week lows on easing concerns about supply disruptions.

Most of the moves came after US President Donald Trump announced late on Monday that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire. A few hours later, Trump said the ceasefire was now in effect and urged both countries not to violate it. 

Oil prices fell over 3 per cent, having already slid 9 per cent on Monday when Iran made a token retaliation against a U.S. base which came to nothing and signalled it was done for now.

With the immediate threat to the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane seemingly over, U.S. crude futures fell another 3.7 per cent to $65.96 per barrel, the lowest since June 11 before Israel's attacks on Iran began.

Israel's military said the public could leave areas near shelters on Tuesday, after multiple waves of Iranian missiles which killed four people in the south.

"Following a situational assessment, the Home Front Command has announced that the requirement to remain near protected spaces throughout the country has been lifted," the military said in a statement, after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two foes.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran has not come into effect. The American leader also warned the two arch enemies in the Middle East not to violate the truce deal.

"THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!  DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES," US President Donald said in a post on Truth Social. 

In the first Iranian barrage, at least one missile interception could be seen in the sky over Jerusalem.

At least seven people were killed in the Southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva on Tuesday morning after an Iranian missile hit a residential building.

Iranian state-run media claims that the ceasefire with Israel is now in effect. This came after Iran launched five rounds of missiles on Israel before the 4 am ceasefire deadline. 

Unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Iraq early Tuesday, security sources said. The strikes came hours after Iran launched missiles at a US military facility in Qatar --the largest US military facility in the Middle East -- in retaliation for the American bombing of Tehran's nuclear facilities.

The first attack hit a radar system at the Taji base, north of Baghdad, a security source told AFP, requesting anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media. A few hours later, the security source told AFP "a drone targeted… the radar system at the Imam Ali airbase" in Dhi Qar province in southern Iraq.

Another drone fell in the Radwaniya district, ten kilometres west of Baghdad International Airport, the source added, where US troops are deployed in a base as part of an anti-jihadists coalition.

Iran's state media said on Tuesday that a fifth wave of missiles was headed towards Israel around the time a staggered ceasefire announced by the United States was due to begin.

"The fifth wave of this morning's missile attack from Iran is on its way to the occupied territories," Irib posted on Telegram just before 0400 GMT.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel on Tuesday as the military said it was working to intercept the latest barrage of Iranian missiles, the sixth wave in some two hours according to statements released by the army.

"A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas in northern Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the army said in a statement, adding it was "operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat".

Emergency services said Tuesday three people were killed in an Iranian missile strike in southern Israel, moments before a staggered ceasefire announced by the United States was due to begin.

The B-2 bomber, the epitome of American air supremacy, was once again in action to destroy Iranian nuclear sites. They flew from the Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri, United States, refuelled several times mid-air, flying continuously.

Under the reign of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Iran, once America and Israel's closest ally in the Middle East, became their bitterest enemy

Indian equities opened higher on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel.

As night falls in Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv, hundreds make the familiar descent into the depths of the metro to escape the latest salvo of Iranian missiles.

For those with no safe shelters near their homes, the city's underground stations and car parks have become vital refuges since the war began on June 13.

Despite nightly missile barrages, Israel's casualty toll has remained relatively low, with authorities repeatedly stressing the importance of taking cover in life-saving protected spaces.

Iranian state media Irib said a new wave of missiles was heading for Israel, after US President Donald Trump announced a staggered ceasefire between the two Middle East foes.

"Fourth salvo of missiles fired from Iran toward Israel," Iranian state media Irib posted on Telegram.

At least three people were killed in the Southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva on Tuesday morning after an Iranian missile hit a residential building.

US President Donald Trump on Monday night announced a truce deal between Israel and Iran, even as the two arch enemies continued exchanging salvoes for the 12th straight day.

Three killed in Southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva after an Iranian missile hit a residential building.

President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on Monday in a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with Trump's team in contact with Iranian officials, a senior White House official said.

"Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, “PEACE!” I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH. The future for Israel & Iran is UNLIMITED, & filled with great PROMISE. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH." US President Donald Trump said in a post on his Truth Social.

Asian shares gained and oil prices were down Tuesday, as fears of an energy market shock eased following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

Investors were relieved that Iran did not retaliate to a US attack on its nuclear facilities by throttling oil transport through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Both oil contracts were down over two percent on Tuesday.

In Asia, the mood was largely upbeat, with Tokyo and Hong Kong up 1.4 percent, Shanghai gaining 0.8 percent and Seoul jumping 2.7 percent.

Singapore gained 0.7 percent, Sydney was up 1.1 percent and Taipei put on 1.8 percent, but Jakarta was down 1.7 percent.

Israel's military said early Tuesday that it was working to intercept Iranian missiles launched a "short while ago", without specifying the exact time of the attack.

"A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the Israeli military said in a statement posted to Telegram around 5:00 am (0200 GMT).

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced a staggered ceasefire between Israel and Iran would begin around 0400 GMT, with Tehran halting operations first.

US President Donald Trump signalled today that Iran's attempted air strike at the US-run Al Udeid air base in Qatar would not draw a retaliation from Washington.

Iran launched missiles toward America's Al-Udeid base in Qatar today in response to the US strikes on the nuclear facilities of Tehran. The Iranian Armed Forces said the base was targeted with a powerful missile attack in Operation Beshararat Fatah.

US President Donald Trump communicated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with Iranians through direct and indirect channels.

The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing by the U.S. on Iran helped get Israel to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal.

Iran’s foreign minister said Iran would stop its attacks if Israel would, though it’s unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s leader, played in the talks as he had said on social media that he would not surrender. (AP)

Iran struck the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar - An American air base in the country - to respond to US strikes on its nuclear facilities yesterday.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Monday Iran was no longer able to build a nuclear weapon after U.S. strikes destroyed its infrastructure.

Amid confusion over a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran, and if it has officially begun, Israel’s Defence Forces have confirmed that missiles have been launched from Iran toward Israel.

"The IDF has identified that missiles were launched from Iran toward Israeli territory a short time ago. Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat. You must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain there until further notice. Leaving the protected space will be permitted only upon receiving explicit instructions; continue to follow the Home Front Command’s guidelines," the IDF said in a post on X.

While Russia and Iran have had close ties for decades, Putin said he is trying to stay neutral in the conflict as a large number of Russian-speaking people live in Israel.

An "unidentified" drone struck a military base in Baghdad early Tuesday while another fell in the west of the capital, Iraqi security sources said. The first attack hit a radar system at the Taji base, causing only material damage, a security source told AFP.

Another drone fell in the Radwaniya district, ten kilometres west of Baghdad International Airport, where US troops are deployed in a base as part of an anti-jihadist coalition, the source added.

A government security spokesman Saad Maan confirmed that at Taji "an unidentified drone struck the radar", adding that another drone "fell near a generator", without providing further details.

Lieutenant General Walid al-Tamimi told the official Iraqi News Agency that no casualties were reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC News he expects an Israel-Iran ceasefire that he announced on Monday to last "forever."

US President Donald Trump said on social media that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” to be phased in over 24 hours.

Trump said on Truth Social that the ceasefire would bring an “Official END” to war, a major change in the hostilities that follows a US strike over the weekend on three Iranian nuclear sites.

“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR,” Trump posted.

Trump’s social media post says the 24-hour phased-in ceasefire will begin at approximately midnight Tuesday EST, giving the two countries six hours to have “wound down and completed their in progress, final missions.”

At that point, he said, Iran will cease attacks, and 12 hours later, Tuesday at noon EST, Israel will also stop strikes, and after 12 more hours “the War will be considered, ENDED!”

Vice President JD Vance says he believes the world will look back at the war between Israel and Iran — and the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities — as “an important reset moment for the entire region.”

Vance appeared on Fox News Channel just minutes after Trump announced a phased-in ceasefire over the next 24 hours.

The vice president says the Trump administration hopes that the Iranians have learned an important lesson: If they want to build a nuclear weapon in the future, “they’re going to have to deal with a very, very powerful American military again.”

Vance says he thinks that will dissuade them not to do it.

Iran’s mission declined to comment on Trump’s ceasefire post, and the Israeli mission said it had no immediate comment.

The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official says.

Since June 21, the official says the U.S. has organized seven flights, most of which have to gone to Athens, Greece, but also to Rome, Italy, and Larnaca, Cyprus.

Other Americans, including nonessential embassy staff and their families, have left via land to Jordan and Egypt, while others have departed Israel by ship. The official did not have statistics for those departures, which do not necessarily involve U.S. government assistance.

There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel.

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Tehran and other areas up until 4 a.m. local time. Israel in other conflicts typically steps up its strikes just before ceasefires take effect.

On social media, Trump called the war between Israel and Iran the “12 Day War.” That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the “Six Day War,” in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Trump’s reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians.

In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave back the Sinai to Egypt, it still holds the other territories, setting the stage for decades of conflict that continue to reverberate today.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that a "complete and total" ceasefire between Israel and Iran will go into force with a view to ending the conflict between the two nations.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X, thanked Tehran's armed forces for "fighting until the very last minute".

"Only President Trump could have achieved this historic ceasefire agreement that brings us closer to peace. It was a herculean effort that deserves the thanks of all the people of Israel, Iran, Middle East, America—the entire world," Director of National Intelligence, Tusli Gabbard, said in a post on X. 

Only President Trump could have achieved this historic ceasefire agreement that brings us closer to peace. It was a herculean effort that deserves the thanks of all the people of Israel, Iran, Middle East, America—the entire world. Congratulations and thank you, @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/zq14QthyM3

— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) June 23, 2025

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. sab Israel, joined by the United States on the weekend, has carried out attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, after alleging Tehran was getting close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

There was no immediate comment yet from Israel. While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilitiers unless Israel stopped its attacks.

Crude oil prices slid more than seven percent Monday while Wall Street stocks advanced after markets shrugged off Iran's rebuttal to the US weekend attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran announced it had launched missiles at a major US base in Qatar, with explosions ringing out in Doha and projectiles seen streaking overhead.

But Qatar described the situation as stable, while energy analysts said oilfield assets were not affected. "This is a face-saving measure by the Iranians and hopefully the diplomatic off-ramp will be taken," said John Kilduff of Again Capital, who described the Iranian action as "somewhat measured" and apart from population centers.

Qatar on Tuesday announced the re-opening of its airspace, the Qatari aviation authority said, after Iran fired a series of missiles at the Gulf state targeting the US's Al Udeid base hosted there.

"The General Civil Aviation Authority announces the resumption of air traffic in the airspace of the State of Qatar and the return of the atmosphere to normal," it said in a statement on X.

"The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4am. Together with all Iranians, I thank our brave Armed Forces who remain ready to defend our dear country until their last drop of blood, and who responded to any attack by the enemy until the very last minute," Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X. 

The ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump had to come into effect at 4 am. 

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday promised that the United States would regret any further attacks on Iran.

"We warn the foolish and stupid American president...that in case of the repeat of an aggression or attack against the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the proud martyr-bearing land of Iran, he will receive more crushing and regrettable responses that will serve as a lesson," the Guard's commander Mohammad Pakpour was quoted as saying by state television.

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that Iran and Israel had agreed to a staggered ceasefire that would bring about an "official end" to their conflict, as strikes continued to hammer Tehran overnight. "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

There was however no immediate confirmation from either of the Middle Eastern adversaries, whose unprecedented exchange of attacks has seen hundreds killed in Iran and two dozen in Israel. 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.

"Upon the 24th hour, an official end to the 12-day war will be saluted by the world," he said, adding that both sides had agreed to remain "peaceful and respectful" during each phase of the process.

Iran said the final decision on the cessation of military operations will be made later.

A series of powerful explosions rocked Tehran early Tuesday morning, according to AFP journalists.

Warplanes buzzed overhead as explosions shook the north and centre of Iran's capital around 3:00 am (2330 GMT).

The blasts occurred just hours before a staggered ceasefire was due to take effect around 0400 GMT, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations, according to an announcement by US President Donald Trump.