Background on Key Figures and Context
Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, took to Truth Social to express his displeasure with both Israel and Iran for violating a newly announced ceasefire. Trump’s frustration was particularly directed at Israel, which had announced plans for significant attacks against Iran shortly after the ceasefire was declared.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, had ordered the military to launch new attacks on targets in Tehran, citing what he claimed were Iranian missile strikes that constituted a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire. Iran, however, denied launching any missiles and asserted that Israel’s attacks extended beyond the agreed-upon ceasefire start time by nearly two hours.
Trump’s Immediate Response and Travel
Shortly after leaving the White House for a NATO summit in The Hague, Trump tweeted: “Israel, don’t drop those bombs. If you do, it’s a serious violation. Bring your pilots home now!”
Before boarding his flight, Trump addressed reporters, stating he was “not happy” with both sides for breaking the ceasefire, especially Israel. He emphasized, “I need to get Israel to calm down right now,” and described the intensity of Israel’s recent bombing campaign as unprecedented.
Reactions from Civilians in Israel and Iran
Despite the initial breaches, there was a palpable sense of relief across the Middle East and globally as a path towards ending the conflict emerged, 12 days after Israel initiated hostilities with a surprise attack and two days after Trump joined by targeting 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; what matters is that the war is over. It should never have started in the first place.”
Arik Daimant, a software engineer from Tel Aviv, shared his mixed feelings: “Unfortunately, it’s a bit late for my family and me since our home was destroyed in last Sunday’s bombing. But as they say, ‘better late than never,’ and I hope this ceasefire marks a fresh start.”
Trump’s Ceasefire Announcement
Earlier, Trump had announced the ceasefire via Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE, DO NOT VIOLATE IT.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Donald Trump? Donald Trump served as the 45th President of the United States from January 2017 to January 2021.
- Why is this ceasefire significant? The ceasefire aims to end a 12-day conflict initiated by Israel and joined by the U.S. with attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, causing widespread concern and damage.
- What actions did Israel take despite the ceasefire? Israel announced plans for substantial attacks against Iran and carried out a significant bombing campaign, which extended beyond the agreed ceasefire start time.
- How did Iran respond to Israel’s actions? Iran denied launching any missiles and claimed that Israel’s attacks continued past the designated ceasefire initiation hour.
- What were the reactions from civilians in Israel and Iran? Civilians expressed relief at the prospect of an end to the conflict, with some sharing personal losses due to the bombing campaigns.
