Israel, Iran ceasefire ‘now in effect’, announces Trump; warns against violation

US President Donald Trump. (File photo/Reuters)

A few hours after he announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, US President Donald Trump once again took to his social media platform on June 24, urging two sides to honour the truce, as Iranian missiles left at least four Israeli’s dead.

“The ceasefire in now in effect. Please do not violate it!,” he said in the characteristic all caps text on his Truth Social platform.

Earlier, Israel ordered closure of its air space as waves of Iranian missiles continued to hit various parts of the country even after the ceasefire deadline passed. Israeli firefighters said they retrieved four bodies from a building hit by an Iranian missile in the city of Beersheba.

Iran, which first appeared cagey on truce, later seem to have agreed, with the state television saying that the ceasefire had begun.

Trump brokered the ceasefire through talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while his team, including Vice President JD Vance, spoke to Tehran, a senior White House official was cited as saying by a Reuters report.

The official, providing details of the ceasefire on condition of anonymity, said Israel agreed to it so long as Iran does not launch fresh attacks. Iran signalled that no further attacks would take place, the official said.

Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in the direct and indirect communications with Iran, Reuters said.

Earlier, the US President outlined that the ceasefire would unfold in two phases over a 24-hour period -- with Iran initiating the move and Israel closely following. "On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both countries, Israel and Iran, on having the stamina, courage, and intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'," Trump wrote on his Truth Social.

While there was no acknowledgement from Israel with respect to the ceasefire, there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 am in Tehran.

Trump, in a separate post, said that both Israel and Iran reached out to him at almost the same time for peace. He said both nations would see love, peace and prosperity and added that their future is filled with great promises.