Iran-Israel conflict: Trump says ceasefire in effect, criticises both Iran and Israel
Jerusalem: US President Donald Trump claimed a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was “in effect” on Tuesday, after expressing deep frustration with both sides and accusing them of violating the agreement he brokered.
Israel earlier accused Iran of launching missiles into its airspace after the truce was supposed to take effect. The Iranian military denied firing on Israel, state media reported.
Trump expressed anger and frustration as he told reporters at the White House that both Israel, a close ally, and Iran had violated the ceasefire plan. But later he said the deal was saved, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he held off on tougher strike against Iran after speaking to Trump.
Israel’s emergency services: 28 killed during 12 days of war with Iran
As a cease-fire between Iran and Israel took effect Tuesday, Israel’s emergency services released final figures from 12 days of fighting.
According to the data, 1,347 people in Israel were affected, including 28 killed, 17 seriously wounded, 29 moderately wounded, 872 lightly wounded and 401 treated for anxiety.
Netanyahu’s office says he held off on tougher strike after speaking to Trump
Netanyahu’s office says Israel struck an Iranian radar in response to the Iranian missile attack early Tuesday. But it says the Israeli leader held off tougher action after an appeal from President Donald Trump.
“Following President Trump’s conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel refrained from additional attacks,” Netanyahu’s office says.
Iran TV says another nuclear scientist was killed in Israeli airstrike
A high-profile Iranian nuclear scientist was killed in an Israeli strike, Iran state TV said, making him the latest in a list of top atomic experts who are said to have been killed in Israeli attacks over the last 12 days.
Mohammad Reza Sedighi Saber, who the US State Department had sanctioned last month, was killed at his father-in-law’s residence in an early Tuesday morning strike in northern Iran, according to the report.
It added that three projectiles had hit the residence, and an earlier round of strikes had killed his 17-year-old son on June 13.
The Council on Foreign Relations on Monday said that Israeli strikes had killed at least 10 nuclear scientists since the Israel-Iran war broke out. The US State Department last month described Sedighi Saber as the head of Iran’s Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research’s Shahid Karimi Group, which works on explosives-related projects, adding that he was “linked to projects including research and testing applicable to the development of nuclear explosive devices.”
Turkiye urges all parties to fully observe ceasefire
Turkiye has welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Iran but also said it was closely monitoring statements indicating violations.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry urged all parties to fully observe the ceasefire the “critical period ahead,” saying the Middle East was in need of peace and stability.
The ministry also called for the resolution of the Palestinian issue which it described as being at the “root of many problems in the Middle East.”
Macron expresses concerns that Iran could continue work to enrich uranium
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed concerns that the Israel-Iran war has increased the risk that Iranian leaders will continue work in secret to enrich uranium that can be used for nuclear weapons.
“This risk has, it’s true, increased with what has happened recently,” Macron said. He was asked if Iranian uranium-enrichment work could continue in secret after nearly two weeks of Israeli airstrikes and the dropping of giant bunker-busting bombs by US stealth bombers on Iranian nuclear plants.
He repeated France’s desire for negotiations to address concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“Our shared objective is that Iran doesn’t equip itself with a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Qatar condemns Iranian attacks on US air base
“Attacking Qatar is unacceptable… we were surprised by the attack on the military base,” said Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, referring to Monday’s attack on the Al Udeid Air Base.
The base is a sprawling desert facility in Qatar that serves as a major regional military hub for American forces.
He told reporters Tuesday that the Iranian attack had left a “scar” on his country’s relationship with Tehran.
Al Thani said Qatar will not resort to escalatory steps, but will rely on legal measures and diplomacy instead when responding to the attack. He added that Qatar intercepted all missiles except one that fell in a deserted area.
Israeli strike killed 7 members of Revolutionary Guard, Iran media says
An Israeli strike Monday on Iran’s city of Karaj near Tehran killed seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, including two generals with the paramilitary force, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Military plane evacuates 101 French nationals from Israel to Cyprus
A military plane evacuating 101 French nationals from Israel to Cyprus took off from Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday, French authorities said.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said similar evacuation flights will follow.
Priority is given to those with medical and humanitarian issues, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Those who can travel on their own can still cross to Jordan and Egypt to take commercial flights, it said.
Iranian governor: Israeli strike before the ceasefire killed 9 civilians
A deputy governor in Iran’s northern Gilan province along the Caspian Sea said an Israeli strike before the ceasefire killed nine civilians, state media reported.
Iran says it transferred all inmates out of a prison after it was targete
Iran says it transferred all inmates out of its notorious Evin prison after an Israeli strike targeted the facility on Monday.
Iran’s Prisons Organisation said all the inmates had been moved to other prisons around the capital, Tehran. It said the move was necessary for workers to repair damage there.
Evin prison is known for holding both political prisoners and those with Western ties for negotiations with the wider world. It also has a specialized unit overseen by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Israel’s opposition leader says ‘majority’ of Iran’s enriched uranium destroyed
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid told a group of British lawmakers he believes much — but not all — of Iran’s enriched uranium was destroyed by Israeli and US strikes.
“We think at least the majority of it might be, gone, but not everything,” he said.
He said Iran’s nuclear ambitions “were hurt and they were taken backwards significantly. We just don’t know exactly right now how much.”
Lapid told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that Iran likely smuggled some of the uranium out of the facilities that have been attacked.
“There are only a limited number of places they can smuggle the uranium to,” he said. “You don’t take it in a suitcase and put it at home until the fire stops.”
Iran’s highest-level security body praises military
Iran’s top security body has praised its military for its conduct in the 12-day war with Israel, likely signalling Tehran believes the ceasefire will hold.
The statement from the Supreme National Security Council came as Israel said it would conduct immediate strikes on Iran for allegedly violating the terms of US President Donald Trump’s proposed ceasefire in the war.
The council said Iran’s armed forces “will be ready to give a decisive and regretful response to any act of aggression by the enemy.”
Egypt and Saudi Arabia welcome Trump ceasefire plan
Egypt said in a statement Tuesday morning that it welcomes US President Donald Trump’s announcement of reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
“It is a critical point into ending this conflict between both countries and restoring peace in the region,” the statement read.
Egypt called upon the countries to fully abide by the ceasefire and practice full restraint.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday also welcomed Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire, though the hopeful statement came as the agreement was faltering.
“The Kingdom looks forward to all parties committing to de-escalation in the coming period,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said.
Less than three hours after the ceasefire came into effect, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Iran had “completely violated” the ceasefire by launching missiles.(AP)
