12 days of war — Why it ended overnight

In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, both Israel and Iran accepted a ceasefire plan spearheaded by U.S. President Donald Trump, effectively ending a volatile 12-day war that had rocked the Middle East.

The breakthrough came on the heels of a final barrage of missile strikes exchanged between the two rivals, Tehran launching deadly rockets into southern Israel and Israel retaliating with sweeping airstrikes across Iranian territory.

The ceasefire, announced shortly after a last wave of violence at dawn, followed Trump’s public call for restraint posted on Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

The truce went into effect at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, according to Iranian state media.

However, Iranian leadership remained publicly cautious.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated earlier that Tehran’s continuation of hostilities depended on Israel ceasing its attacks by 4 a.m. local time.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s acceptance of the truce in coordination with President Trump.

Addressing Israel’s security cabinet, Netanyahu asserted that all strategic objectives had been met.

He claimed Israel had effectively dismantled key elements of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s military infrastructure, and temporarily gained aerial supremacy over Tehran.

Despite the declared ceasefire, the hours leading up to it were some of the deadliest.

Iran’s final missile volley struck Beersheba, a major city in southern Israel, collapsing parts of three residential buildings and killing at least five people.

Emergency services scrambled through rubble and flaming wreckage, searching for survivors.

More than 20 people were injured, and some victims were reportedly inside reinforced safe rooms, which were unable to withstand the direct hits from Iran’s ballistic missiles.

In response to the Iranian barrage, Israeli jets launched what was likely their final offensive of the conflict, striking multiple strategic targets in Iran just before the ceasefire was enacted.

The ferocity of the exchange highlighted how close the war came to spiraling into a full-scale regional conflict.

Trump’s announcement that a “complete and total ceasefire” had been brokered was framed as the capstone of intensive behind-the-scenes diplomacy.

U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, engaged with Iranian officials through a mix of direct and indirect channels.

Trump personally communicated with Netanyahu, and Qatar played a key role in mediating between the warring parties.

This is especially after Iran’s symbolic missile strike on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – a response to an earlier American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Though the Iranian missile strike on U.S. forces resulted in no casualties, thanks to a preemptive warning, it served as a potent signal of Tehran’s willingness to escalate.

Nonetheless, both sides seemed to recognize the risk of further confrontation, prompting a fragile yet necessary agreement to de-escalate.

President Trump labeled the conflict the “12 Day War,” drawing a historical parallel to Israel’s 1967 Six-Day War – a comparison that carries considerable weight in the region.

That reference may resonate particularly with Arab nations and Palestinians, given the territorial shifts and enduring legacy of the 1967 conflict.

The human toll of this brief but brutal war has been staggering.

In Israel, at least 29 people have been killed and over 1,000 injured.

Iranian casualties are even more severe.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists organization reported that Israeli airstrikes killed 974 people in Iran.

These included nearly 400 civilians and over 250 security personnel.

Thousands more were wounded.

As skies over Iran and Israel gradually reopen and emergency flights resume, the region remains tense but cautiously hopeful.

The ceasefire appears to have held through Tuesday, with commercial air traffic resuming over Qatari and Israeli airspace.

The U.S. has also begun evacuating hundreds of its citizens from Israel, underscoring ongoing concerns about stability.

Despite the tentative peace, leaders on both sides remain wary.

Netanyahu warned that any violation of the ceasefire would be met with a “forceful” response.

On the other hand, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has yet to publicly endorse the truce.

While the guns may have fallen silent for now, the deeper grievances remain unresolved.

For the time being, diplomacy has prevailed—but the Middle East holds its breath, uncertain if this fragile calm will last.

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