Early Tuesday morning, Israel instructed its citizens to seek shelter following missile launches originating from Iran. The missiles were launched shortly after 4 a.m. local time in Tehran, which was around the same time Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran would halt its attacks if Israel ceased its airstrikes.
On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” expected to be implemented gradually over a 24-hour period. However, the latest developments have cast uncertainty on the status of any ceasefire agreements.
Key Developments:
Qatar Responds to Monday’s Strike: A Qatari military official reported that Iran launched 19 missiles at the U.S.-operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. One missile struck the base, but no casualties were reported. The number differs from President Trump’s statement, in which he claimed 14 missiles were launched, 13 were intercepted, and one was “set free.”
Trump Says Iran Issued Warning: President Trump noted that Iran gave advance notice to the U.S. before the missile attack, expressing gratitude to Iranian leadership for the “early notice.” He added that he hopes this is the only retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Background: On June 13, Israel carried out a surprise barrage of strikes on targets in Iran, which Israeli officials described as a preemptive measure to thwart what they claimed was an impending effort by Iran to develop nuclear weapons. In response, Iran launched a series of drone and missile strikes against Israeli territory, while Israel has continued striking Iranian sites.