Background on Key Figures
Donald Trump: The 45th President of the United States, who served from January 2017 to January 2021. His administration was marked by significant domestic and foreign policy changes, including the brokering of several high-profile agreements.
Israel Katz: The Israeli Defense Minister who announced new attacks on Iranian targets in response to alleged Iranian missile strikes, which he claimed violated the ceasefire.
Ceasefire Violations and Trump’s Response
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump accused both Israel and Iran of violating the newly announced ceasefire just hours after it was declared. Trump expressed particular frustration with Israel, which had announced plans for large-scale attacks against Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social shortly after leaving the White House for an NATO summit in The Hague, Trump wrote: “Israel, don’t drop those bombs. If you do, it’s a serious violation. Bring your pilots home, now!”
Before boarding his flight, Trump told reporters he was “not happy” with either side for violating the ceasefire, especially Israel. He emphasized, “I have to get Israel to calm down now… Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they went out and dropped a massive bomb load, the biggest we’ve ever seen.”
Israeli and Iranian Responses
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, had ordered the armed forces to launch new attacks on Tehran targets in response to what he claimed were Iranian missile strikes, which he described as a “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire.
Iran denied launching any missiles and asserted that Israeli attacks extended beyond the agreed ceasefire start time by nearly two hours.
Global Relief and Local Impact
Despite initial violations, there was a palpable sense of relief worldwide, especially in the Middle East and globally, as a path towards ending the war had been established. This came 12 days after Israel initiated hostilities with a surprise attack and two days after Trump joined with attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
Reza Sharifi, a 38-year-old resident of Tehran, expressed his joy to Reuters over the phone: “We don’t care who mediated or how it happened. The war is finally over; it never should have started.”
Arik Daimant, a Tel Aviv-based software engineer, shared his mixed feelings: “Unfortunately, it’s a bit late for my family and me since our home was destroyed in last Sunday’s bombings. But as they say, ‘better late than never,’ and I hope this ceasefire marks a fresh start.”
Trump’s Ceasefire Announcement
Trump had announced the ceasefire via Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE, DON’T VIOLATE IT.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Donald Trump? Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States, who served from January 2017 to January 2021.
- What is the context of this ceasefire? This ceasefire was announced following 12 days of conflict initiated by Israel and two days after the U.S., under Trump’s administration, joined with attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
- Why is Trump upset with Israel? Trump expressed frustration because, shortly after the ceasefire agreement, Israel announced plans for large-scale attacks against Tehran, which he deemed a serious violation of the ceasefire.
- What did Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, do? Israel Katz ordered new attacks on Iranian targets in response to alleged Iranian missile strikes, which he claimed violated the ceasefire.
- How did people react to the ceasefire? There was a sense of relief worldwide, with people in Tehran and Israel expressing joy that the war might finally be over.
