Washington (AP) President Donald Trump affirmed the strategic risk of a devastating U.S. bombing on three Iranian nuclear sites this weekend by declaring on Monday that the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran is likely to end in a ceasefire.
Trump wrote on social media, “It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE.” Neither nation immediately responded to the tweet.
Trump said the two sides will continue to be PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL as the truce would begin with Iran and be joined by Israel 12 hours later. The battle may finish as early as Wednesday thanks to the phased-in truce.
This war has the potential to last for years and wipe out the Middle East, but it hasn’t and never will! Trump stated.
The announcement followed Iran’s Monday missile strike against a key U.S. military facility in the Gulf state of Qatar in an attempt to retaliate for the U.S. attack. On social media, Trump praised Iran separately for alerting the United States and its friends to the impending retaliation.
A few hours after the posting, the president expressed hope that Tehran had moved past its retaliation for the U.S. attack of three important Iranian nuclear facilities and that the incident will result in a de-escalation of the Israel-Iran war.
Trump posted on social media, saying, “I am happy to report that NO Americans were harmed and hardly any damage was done.” I would like to express my gratitude to Iran for providing us with advance notice, which allowed for the avoidance of fatalities and injuries. I will strongly urge Israel to follow suit, and perhaps Iran can now move forward toward peace and harmony in the region.
Since Trump ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran has not directly retaliated against the United States until the attack on U.S. personnel at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
Former President Barack Obama’s defense secretary and CIA director Leon Panetta claimed that Iran’s muted response indicates that their capacity to react has likely been seriously harmed. He added that it might be an indication that they have no intention of intensifying the conflict with the US or Israel.
Trump said that Iran had fired 14 missiles against the base, a large complex that served as a key staging area for the American battles in Iraq and Afghanistan and is home to the forward headquarters of the Central Command. Approximately 8,000 American soldiers now occupy the facility, compared to roughly 10,000 during the height of the conflicts.
According to the president, American air defense systems shot down 13 of the Iranian missiles, while one was released since it was traveling in a non-threatening path.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar posted a warning on its website only hours before Iran launched its strike on Monday, asking Americans living in the energy-rich country to remain indoors until further notice. To close its crowded airspace, the Qatari government issued an exceptional order.
The incident occurred as international markets were attempting to predict the future following the U.S.’s weekend bombardment of critical Iranian nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bunker busting bombs and Tomahawk missiles.
About 20% of the world’s oil and gas travel through the Strait of Hormuz, a tiny maritime channel in the Persian Gulf, which has been approved by Iran’s parliament to be closed. Iran’s national security council will now have to determine whether to proceed with the plan, which might result in a global increase in the price of goods and services.
The markets seem to be reacting with a fair amount of composure thus far. Oil prices were almost back to their pre-conflict levels by Monday afternoon, which started more than a week ago.
Trump urged the United States and its allies to increase oil production and maintain low oil prices early Monday.
Many observers in the oil sector had doubted that Iran would follow through on its previous threats to completely close the strait.
The main buyer of Iranian crude, China, would have been offended by the action, and Iran might have faced reprisals against its own exports.
Prior to Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies put pressure on Russia by threatening its oil industry. In response, numerous Western oil corporations withdrew from Ukraine, and the U.S. and Europe slapped sanctions on Russian industry.
However, compared to Russia, which was dependent on European markets for its gas and oil exports and proceeded with the invasion in defiance of U.S. concerns, Iran is much less linked into the global economy.
If the 2020s have taught us anything, it is that economic linkages do not necessarily avert conflict, warned Colby Connelly, a senior scholar at the Middle East Institute.
Regarding Iran’s future, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seemed to downplay Trump’s remarks on Monday that the country’s governing theocracy may not survive, which seemed to go against his administration’s previous requests for Tehran to begin talks and prevent the conflict from getting worse.
The phrase “regime change” is not politically correct, but why wouldn’t there be a regime change if the existing Iranian regime is incapable of making Iran great once more? Trump shared content on social media. MIGA!
According to Leavitt, neither Trump’s nor our military’s stance has altered.
According to Leavitt, the president was merely posing a query that I believe many people worldwide are pondering.
