Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire on the Middle East conflict, which includes Israel, as forces there have agreed to suspend their bombing campaign
Smoke rises following strikes on Tehran on Tuesday(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Iran has continued to launch missiles at Israel despite Donald Trump’s ceasefire.
Missiles were fired by Iran and Israel minutes after the announcement, which led to alerts for citizens in United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries to take cover. A gas processing facility in Abu Dhabi was ablaze this morning after incoming Iranian fire, officials said.
But Mr Trump had finally reached an agreement to back down from the apocalyptic brink last night. Iran had listed a 10-point plan, to which Mr Trump agreed, although one demand is a £1 million-a-ship fee for Hormuz Strait.
Yet regardless, missiles resumed across the Middle East. Iran has also insisted it will continue to control and charge ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as well as enrich uranium.
READ MORE: Iran state TV mocks Donald Trump’s ceasefire as ‘a humiliating retreat’READ MORE: Donald Trump backs down from apocalyptic brink and agrees to ceasefire with Iran
Donald Trump backed down after his chilling threat(Image: Getty Images)
A senior White House official told CNN Israel is part of the two-week ceasefire. Israeli forces have agreed to suspend their bombing campaign while negotiations continue.
Mr Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan which could help end the war he launched with Israel on February 28. But he later called the plan fraudulent without elaborating. The US President has said ending Iran’s nuclear program entirely was a key point of the war.
The disclosure broadens the scope of Mr Trump’s Truth Social announcement, which had focused on a US suspension of strikes against Iranian infrastructure. The White House official’s statement to CNN, though, makes clear the pause extends to Israeli military operations as well.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked Mr Trump to abandon his strikes(Image: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Office)
And, after the announcement of ceasefire, Mr Trump took to his social media platform again to say it is “a big day for World Peace!” His post added: “Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz. There will be lots of positive action!”
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir personally requested Mr Trump hold off strikes planned for Tuesday night. Mr Trump, 79, agreed to suspend bombing for two weeks, conditional on Iran agreeing to what he called the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING” of the Strait of Hormuz.
The world leader described the arrangement as “a double sided CEASEFIRE” and said Washington had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran it considered “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
But the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Pro-government demonstrators in the streets of Iran’s capital screamed: “Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers!” after the ceasefire announcement.