WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued a stern rebuke of Israel on Tuesday, expressing frustration over what he described as violations of a newly brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. The ceasefire, announced just hours earlier, was intended to bring an end to a 12-day conflict that had drawn in the United States and threatened to destabilize the region.
“They violated it but Israel violated it too,” Trump told reporters before departing for the NATO summit, signaling rare public criticism of America’s closest Middle Eastern ally.
The president followed up with a forceful message on Truth Social: “DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”
The ceasefire, which Trump declared “fully agreed” by both sides, came after a weekend of escalating violence. The U.S. had launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran to retaliate with a missile barrage on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Though Iran warned the U.S. in advance and no casualties were reported, the exchange underscored the volatility of the situation.
According to the White House, Israel agreed to the ceasefire on the condition that Iran would halt its attacks. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, cast doubt on the agreement’s legitimacy, stating that Tehran would only stop its operations if Israel ceased its “illegal aggression” by 4 a.m. local time.
Despite Trump’s announcement that “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT,” explosions and air raid sirens were reported across northern Israel midmorning. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz accused Iran of violating the truce and ordered “high-intensity strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s acceptance of the ceasefire, claiming that the country had achieved its military objectives. “Israel has removed from over it a double existential threat – on both the nuclear issue and regarding ballistic missiles,” he said.
The human toll of the conflict has been severe. According to Human Rights Activists, an independent group based in Washington, Israeli strikes have killed at least 974 people in Iran, including 387 civilians and 268 members of the security forces. Iran’s attacks have killed at least 28 people in Israel and wounded over 1,000.
The U.S. has begun evacuating American citizens from Israel, with approximately 250 people flown out over the weekend. An estimated 700,000 Americans, many of them dual citizens, remain in the country.
As the ceasefire teeters on the edge, Trump’s uncharacteristically sharp criticism of Israel signals a shift in tone — and perhaps a recalibration of U.S. diplomacy in the region. Whether the truce holds may depend less on declarations and more on restraint from both sides.