An angry Donald Trump berated Iran and Israel on Tuesday for violating a ceasefire deal, adding that he was “really unhappy” with Israel in particular.
The two countries have been “fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f**k they’re doing, do you understand that?” the US president told reporters at the White House, hours after he had said a ceasefire between the two arch-foes had taken effect.
A fragile ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war appeared to be holding after 12 days of strikes that saw Israel and the United States pummel the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites.
Trump, who had first declared the ceasefire, on Tuesday told Israel, “Do not drop those bombs” on Iran.
In Israel, no warning sirens sounded after 0745 GMT, while in Iran, the military reported the last strikes at around 0530 GMT.
Israel said it had agreed to Trump’s ceasefire plan, adding that it had achieved all its objectives.
Iran stopped short of officially accepting the proposal, but its top security body said the Islamic Republic’s forces had “compelled” Israel to “unilaterally” cease fire.
Its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had earlier said that if Israel stopped “its illegal aggression,” Tehran would have “no intention” to continue fighting.
“ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, hours after he said the truce had taken effect. “IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”
The US leader had said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
AFP
