Sachin Shankar Yadav President Donald Trump responded angrily as he left for the NATO summit in The Hague after the much-anticipated ceasefire between Israel and Iran, mediated by the United States and Qatar, swiftly collapsed into chaos.
Announcement of Ceasefire and Prompt Violations
After nearly two weeks of fierce fighting between Israel and Iran, President Trump declared a “complete and total ceasefire” on Monday. Under the agreement, which was arranged with Qatar’s assistance, Iran had to stop attacking Israel by midnight ET, and Israel had to stop attacking Iran 12 hours later. The truce was formally affirmed by both nations, and Trump urged on social media that “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT.” DO NOT VIOLATE IT, PLEASE.
But the ceasefire was unstable from the beginning. Airstrikes and missile attacks persisted for hours after the agreement. Iran claimed nine people were killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gilan province, while Israel accused Iran of launching new missiles that killed four people in Beersheba. The precise timing and order of the attacks were unclear, and both sides accused one another of violating the truce.
Trump’s Outburst in Public
Trump became enraged when rumors of ongoing violence emerged. He attacked both countries in a statement to reporters prior to boarding Air Force One:
“Israel also broke the ceasefire in addition to Iran. This is why I am so angry with Israel. I must calm Israel down. They came in and dropped a bunch of bombs that I had never seen before as soon as we made the deal. We have two nations that have been engaged in such a protracted and intense conflict that they have no idea what the f*** they are doing.”
Trump made it apparent that he expected both sides to back down with his unusually direct criticism, which included a direct rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and a social media warning: “ISRAEL DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS.”
Behind the Scenes: Tensions and Diplomacy
A great deal of diplomacy led to the ceasefire. Trump personally spoke with Netanyahu and sought Qatar’s assistance in persuading Iran to agree to the agreement. However, the agreement’s gradual implementation and lack of mutual trust resulted in immediate violations in spite of these efforts.
Israeli officials warned that they would respond to any violations, but they insisted that they had achieved their goals against Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. Iran, on the other hand, denied firing any new missiles and charged Israel with carrying on attacks after the ceasefire had begun.
What Comes Next?
Trump insisted that the ceasefire was still in place and expressed optimism that it would last despite the difficult beginning. But the continued tit-for-tat strikes and his public outrage highlighted how shaky the truce is.
The world is waiting to see if Trump’s diplomatic risk will result in enduring peace or if the region will revert to open warfare as he leaves for the NATO summit.