 "From attacking US air base in Qatar to ceasefire: Has Israel-Iran’s 12-day war ended?")
It has been a dramatic few hours in the Israel-Iran war and things have ended in the most anti-climactic manner with US President announcing that the two rival nations have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire”, bringing an end to the 12-day war.
Things really heated up on the night of Monday (June 23) when Iran targeted an US airbase in Qatar, plunging the West Asia region into a deeper crisis as countries issued high alert, shut their airspace and sounded sirens.
However, hours later, the US president announced to the world that there had been a breakthrough and that both Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire , halting the two-week-old war that has killed hundreds in tit-for-tat strikes by Israeli warplanes and Iranian ballistic missiles.
Notably, neither the Jewish nation nor Tehran confirmed the news though Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hinted at it, saying the nation’s forces “continued to Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4 am (local time)”.
So, what exactly happened? Are you still trying to grasp the sequence of events that took place? We break it down for you.
Qatar closes airspace after credible threat
On Monday night, Qatar announced that it was temporarily suspending all air traffic in its airspace amid threats of Iranian retaliation against the United States. “The competent Qatari authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace out of concern for the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors,” Qatar’s ministry of foreign affairs posted on the social platform X on Monday.
The US embassy in Doha also warned American citizens on Monday to shelter in place, saying the alert was issued “out of an abundance of caution.”
Later, the Qatar authorities issued another statement, saying the move is one of several “precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region.”
These developments came as the world awaited Iran’s response after Trump ordered US strikes on three nuclear sites — Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow — on Saturday. Fears were running high that Tehran would retaliate against any of the 40,000 US forces in West Asia.
Iran strikes US airbase in Al-Udeid in Qatar
And these fears came true hours after the alert was sounded when explosions could be heard in Doha and blasts were reported around the Qatari capital.
Soon, reports came in that Iran had launched missiles at the largest US military facility in West Asia — Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. In what Tehran called operation ‘Herald of Victory’, the Islamic Republic fired short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles at Al Udeid Air Base.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that it launched the devastating and potent missile strike on the Al Udeid base in Qatar at the direction of the Supreme National Security Council and under the command of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (PBUH). The statement called the US aggression “a clear violation of international law.”
The statement said, “The US aggression has made it clear to all that Zionist hostilities are an extension of American designs. Accordingly, we remind that in this national defence, US military bases and mobile targets in the region are not points of strength, but rather major vulnerabilities and the Achilles’ heel of this warmongering regime.”
Reports state that before the attack, Iran had warned Qatari and American officials in order to minimise casualties. This was confirmed by US President Donald Trump himself, who posted on Truth Social that Iran’s response was “weak and expected,” and “there will, hopefully, be no further hate.”
Later, Qatar authorities also confirmed that its air defences “successfully intercepted a missile attack” targeting the Al-Udeid Air Base. Majed Al Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, strongly condemned the attack and said his country reserves the right to respond directly in a manner equivalent with the nature and scale of this brazen aggression”.
And then Trump announces a ceasefire
Less than two hours after the attack on the Al-Udeid Air base, Trump once again took to his social media, this time to announce that Israel and Iran have agreed to “a complete and total ceasefire” which will begin taking effect “in approximately six hours from now” after the two countries have “wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!”
However, there was no immediate official response from Iran or Israel. An official told Reuters that Israel agreed to the ceasefire so long as Iran does not launch fresh attacks. In turn, Iran signalled it would abide by the agreement.
Later, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hinted at a possible ceasefire when he wrote on X, “The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4 am.
“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.”
It is reported that the government of Qatar played a key role as an intermediary, and Trump at one point spoke directly to its leader, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
CNN reports that Trump told the Qatari Emir that the US was able to get Israel to agree to a ceasefire with Iran. He also thanked him for his help in mediating, the White House official said, and asked the Emir to help persuade the Iranians to accept the deal.
The New York Times announces that Trump’s announcement even took members of his own administration by surprise.
Israel is yet to publicly comment on whether it has agreed to the ceasefire.
Trump again took to Truth Social; this time, the US president wrote, “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.”
It’s now only a matter of time to see if the ceasefire actually holds and if Trump has been successful in bringing hostilities to an end.
With inputs from agencies
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