US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social network this morning (Israel time) that the ceasefire he had brokered between Israel and Iran had come into effect. “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” the president posted.
Iran fired a barrage of missiles at all parts of Israel this morning just before ceasefire was due to come into force at 7:00 am. Four people are reported killed after a direct hit on a seven-floor residential building in Beersheva in the south of Israel. 26 people have so far been admitted to Soroka Hospital in the city. Rescue services are still combing the building. Considerable damage has also been caused to surrounding buildings. Shortly after 7:00, Iranian television announced that the ceasefire had begun “after four waves of Israeli attacks.”
The ceasefire, which involved Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani of Qatar as an intermediary, was announced last night. A White House official said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to the ceasefire as long as Iran did not launch further attacks.
An official Israeli government statement issued this morning said: “Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet together with the minister of defense, the chief of staff, and the head of the Mossad, to report that Israel had achieved all the goals of Operation Rising Lion, and even more than that.
“Israel has removed from itself a double existential threat – both the nuclear threat and the threat from ballistic missiles. In addition, the IDF achieved full aerial control in the skies of Iran, hit its top military personnel hard, and destroyed dozens of important targets of Iran’s regime. Within the past 24 hours too, the IDF has struck severe blows at government targets in the heart of Teheran, killed hundreds of members of the Basij militia – the repression mechanism of the terrorist regime – and killed another senior nuclear scientist.
“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in the defense of Israel and their participation in the removal of the Iranian nuclear threat. In the light of the achievement of the goals of the operation, and in full liaison with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president’s proposal of a bilateral ceasefire. Israel will act powerfully to any breach of the ceasefire. The citizens of Israel should continue to observe the instruction of the Home Front Command until the complete fulfilment of the ceasefire is made certain.”
Netanyahu has instructed government ministers not to comment publicly on this turn of events. Opposition party Israel Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman has however described the ceasefire as “a discordant and bitter final note.” “Without a clear and sharp agreement we will certainly come to another war within two to three years, and in much worse conditions,” Liberman said.
Israel’s airspace has been reopened, and flights that were in the air during this morning’s missile salvoes have been permitted to land.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 24, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.
