Ceasefire begins after 12 days of fighting
Earlier today, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect after 12 days of warfare. The agreement, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, allows Israel to respond to future hostile Iranian actions.
The ceasefire officially began at 7:00 a.m. but was quickly breached by Iran. In response, Israel carried out only a symbolic retaliatory strike under pressure from President Trump, in an effort to keep the agreement intact. Following a conversation between Netanyahu and the US President, Israel only struck a radar installation north of Tehran.
President Trump surprised Israelis with a series of unexpected statements following the missile launch from Iran toward Israel after the commencement of the ceasefire. He urged Israel to cease its retaliatory airstrikes, warning: “Do not drop those bombs. Bring your pilots home now.”
Concurrent to Israel’s watered down retaliation strike, Trump posted: ” Nobody will be hurt, the ceasefire is in effect.”
Later, he posted an assurance that Iran would not be allowed to rebuild its nuclear facilities.
“A new era”
Trump expressed disappointment with Israel’s swift military response and stated that the speed at which Israel reacts to attacks has caused his dissatisfaction. That’s not always how it’s done.” He added that given the developments, he would explore ways to stabilize the Middle East. Trump also referred to the moment as the dawn of “a new era” in the region and stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire. “I think both sides violated the ceasefire, but not intentionally,” he noted.
Netanyahu pledges to follow Trump’s lead
Shortly after Trump’s statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the U.S. President. According to the White House, Trump was direct and firm in the call, outlining critical steps needed to preserve the ceasefire. Netanyahu reportedly understood the gravity of the situation and pledged to act in accordance with Trump’s recommendations.
Netanyahu stated after the call: “President Trump expressed great appreciation for Israel’s achievements in the war.” He added that the president “emphasized his confidence in the stability of the ceasefire that took effect this morning.”
Home Front Command restrictions
The Home Front Command is expected to recommend to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir that all movement and work restrictions imposed during the war with Iran be lifted, following this morning’s ceasefire agreement.
According to the recommendation, the restrictions will be gradually removed due to an improved security assessment. The final decision will be made by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who is expected to determine whether to implement the recommendation immediately.
Ben Gurion Airport to reopen
Ben Gurion Airport is expected to resume full operations in the coming hours. El Al is preparing to launch rescue flights to assist Israelis stranded abroad. The airline is working on an airlift to return passengers to Israel, operating its fleet around the clock to add thousands of seats within the next day.
Fighting Carried on During the Night
Overnight, Israeli jets continued targeting Iranian military industries. According to reports, it was the most intense night in the Iranian capital since the beginning of hostilities. Israeli sources claimed that hundreds of Iranian security personnel were killed in the bombings, with no civilians were harmed in the attacks, which targeted IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) members exclusively. Before the attacks, the IDF Spokesperson issued an evacuation notice in Arabic, advising Tehran residents to leave areas near military industry sites and IRGC headquarters.
Despite the military precision, residents of Tehran described “a terrifying night.” A 29-year-old Iranian man told CNN: “The last 24 hours were frightening. I didn’t want to leave Tehran—my city—until yesterday. Yesterday, I decided I’m leaving.”
A ballistic missile launched from Iran this morning struck a seven-story building in Be’er Sheva, killing four people and injuring several others. Sirens were heard across many areas of the country due to additional rocket fire. This occurred just hours after Trump announced the Israel-Iran ceasefire, which was set to begin at 7:00 a.m. Iran time and 7:00 p.m. Israel time.
Iran also launched over fifteen UAVs, all were intercepted:
Just last night, our Navy intercepted launched by Iran. Watch: pic.twitter.com/3luWpMgdGQ
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 24, 2025
Later, another missile was fired from Iran toward northern Israel. The IDF intercepted it successfully, with no injuries reported.
