President Donald Trump’s bold ceasefire between Israel and Iran, meant to halt a deadly 12-day clash, teetered on collapse within hours as both sides traded missile strikes. On June 13, Israel ignited the conflict with attacks on Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting Iran’s retaliatory barrages and drawing Trump's ire, as CBS News reports. The saga exposes the fragility of Middle East diplomacy when trust is thinner than a woke politician’s principles.
Israel’s initial strikes killed 974, including 387 civilians, per Human Rights Activists in Iran, while Iran’s missiles claimed 28 Israeli lives, per Israeli officials. Trump, brokering peace through Qatar, announced a “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE” on Monday night. The deal staggered implementation: Iran would pause at midnight ET Tuesday, Israel at noon, with peace by Wednesday midnight.
Qatar’s Emir and Vice President JD Vance ironed out details after Iran struck a U.S. base in Qatar, a reckless jab at American resolve. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed no “agreement” existed, a dodge as transparent as a progressive’s tax plan. Direct talks followed Iran’s attack on Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, showing Trump’s team meant business.
Tuesday morning saw Iran launch a missile at Beersheba, killing four and wounding 20, per Netanyahu’s office. Israel retaliated at 3 a.m. local time, hammering Tehran’s regime targets and killing hundreds of Basij forces. Both nations pointed fingers, each claiming the other violated the ceasefire first.
Trump, en route to a NATO summit, posted on Truth Social at 1 a.m. ET, urging compliance: “IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Iran’s state-run Press TV denied post-ceasefire strikes, a claim as credible as a campus DEI report.
At 7:06 a.m. and 10:25 a.m. At Israel time, Iran fired three more missiles, intercepted or landed harmlessly, per Netanyahu. Israel’s Air Force obliterated a Tehran radar array in response. The tit-for-tat proved neither side was ready to ditch decades of enmity for a handshake.
Trump’s call with Netanyahu was “exceptionally firm,” a White House source said, demanding Israel recall warplanes. “Drop those bombs,” Trump reportedly warned, “and it’s a MAJOR VIOLATION.” Netanyahu, grasping the “severity,” complied, sparing lives and showing Trump’s clout.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, vowed to “continue the intense activity of attacking Tehran” after Iran’s missile launches. “In light of Iran’s complete violation,” Katz said, the IDF would hit hard. Such resolve mirrors Trump’s no-nonsense approach to global hotheads.
Iran’s “parting shot” of multiple strikes before the ceasefire, per state media, was a middle finger to diplomacy. Araghchi’s vague promise to halt by 4 a.m. Tehran time, if Israel stopped “aggression,” it lacked commitment. Iran’s indecision smells like a regime stalling for leverage.
Before the ceasefire, Iran fired over a dozen missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar, mostly intercepted, with no injuries. The U.S. had already struck three Iranian nuclear sites that weekend, a move Iran called “devastating” but Trump dismissed as “very weak.” Trump’s gratitude for Iran’s “early notice” saved lives, a rare diplomatic nod.
Drones hit Iraqi bases like Camp Taji on Tuesday, damaging radar, while U.S. and Iraqi forces intercepted others near Baghdad. Iraq’s army called the attacks “treacherous,” a sentiment shared by anyone tired of Iran’s proxies stirring chaos. The region’s volatility underscores Trump’s ceasefire as a high-stakes gamble.
Netanyahu’s office boasted strikes on “the heart of Tehran,” a flex that risks escalation. Israel’s government agreed to Trump’s ceasefire “in light of achieving the objectives,” but vowed to “respond forcefully” to violations. This balance of strength and restraint aligns with MAGA’s America-first ethos.
IAEA director Rafael Grossi welcomed the ceasefire, urging Iran to resume nuclear talks. “Resuming cooperation with (the IAEA) is key,” Grossi posted, eyeing a diplomatic off-ramp. Yet Iran’s refusal to confirm ceasefire compliance suggests they’re more interested in missiles than meetings.
Trump, to reporters, blasted both sides: “I’m not happy with Israel. Not happy with Iran, either.” His frustration with nations “fighting for so long that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing” cuts through diplomatic fluff.
The ceasefire, wobbly but holding after Trump’s intervention, proves his deal-making prowess in a region where peace is as elusive as common sense in a faculty lounge. Israel recalled warplanes, and Iran’s missiles slowed, but mutual distrust lingers. Trump’s push for calm, backed by strength, offers hope -- if both sides can resist the urge to reload.
