US President Donald Trump. (File picture)
Israel-Iran conflict LIVE | Trump says Iran and Israel have 'agreed to total ceasfire'
Trump's announcement comes after Iran launched missile attacks on US bases in Qatar and Iraq
Breaking News: US President Donald Trump has dramatically declared a "complete and total" ceasefire between Israel and Iran, making the announcement on social media.
According to Trump, the ceasefire is set to commence "in approximately six hours from now," allowing both nations time to "wind down" their military operations.
As of now, neither Israel nor Iran has confirmed Trump's ceasefire announcement.
Iran attacks US bases in Qatar
Trump's announcement comes after Iran launched missile attacks late Monday night on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region.
Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base attack, but said it successfully intercepted the missiles and no casualties were reported. It said its airspace was now safe. Explosions were heard across the capital city of Doha and surrounding areas following the attack.
Qatar is home to the biggest US military base in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base. About 8,000 US citizens live there.
Iran said the attack in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on its nuclear sites this weekend, signalling its likely desire to de-escalate. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.
Iran announced the attack on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response" to "America's aggression.” The Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq was also targeted, an Iraqi security official who was not authorised to comment publicly told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
It wasn't immediately clear if there was damage to the Iraq base or any injuries.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said the attack by Iran's Revolutionary Guards was “a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its airspace, and international law.” Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest expeditionary wing in the world.
The retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran's nuclear sites.
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Live Updates
- 23 Jun 2025 5:35 PM IST
Iran reports new attack at Fordo nuclear site
Iran's underground enrichment site at Fordo was hit again Monday while Iran fired a salvo of missiles and drones at Israel and warned the United States that its military now has a “free hand” to attack American targets in the wake of the Trump administration's massive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The Fordo facility was one of those hit in Sunday's attack, and it was struck again on Monday, Iranian state television reported. There was no immediate word on damage nor who launched the attack, though Israel said earlier it was conducting airstrikes on Iran. (AP)
- 23 Jun 2025 5:33 PM IST
Putin meets Iranian foreign minister in show of support for Tehran
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the Kremlin on Monday, calling the US strikes an “absolutely unprovoked aggression” and reaffirming Russian support for Tehran.
“This is an absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran; (it) has no basis or justification,” Putin said at Monday's meeting.
“We, for our part, are making efforts to provide assistance to the Iranian people,” Putin said, noting Russia's “long-standing, good, reliable relations with Iran.” Araghchi thanked Russia for condemning the actions of Israel and the US against Iran.
“These aggressive actions by Israel and the US are completely illegitimate and violate international rules and international norms. We are defending our sovereignty and country, and our defence is legitimate,” he said.
Araghchi said that Russia has always been Iran's partner in the peaceful nuclear energy sector and played a positive role in negotiations on Tehran's nuclear programme.
“In the sphere of Iran's nuclear programme, Russia has always been a partner for us. It built the Bushehr nuclear power plant,” he said. (AP)
- 23 Jun 2025 5:32 PM IST
Israel hits Iran govt targets, notorious Tehran prison
Israel hit Iranian government targets in Tehran on Monday in a series of strikes that followed a salvo of missiles and drones fired by Iran at Israel in the wake of the Trump administration's massive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites the day before.
The Israeli military also confirmed it hit roads around Iran's Fordo enrichment facility to obstruct access to the site. The underground site was one of those hit in Sunday's attack by the United States on three nuclear facilities. The Israeli military did not elaborate.
In Tehran attacks, Israel's Defence Ministry said it hit targets that included the notorious Evin Prison in the Iranian capital and the security headquarters of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards.
“The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,” the Ministry said.
Nuclear fears mount after US strikes In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected there to be heavy damage at the Fordo facility already following the Sunday's US airstrike there with sophisticated bunker-buster bombs.
“Given the explosive payload utilised ... very significant damage ... is expected to have occurred,” said Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. (AP)
- 23 Jun 2025 5:00 PM IST
Israel attacks Iran's nuclear programme but maintains ambiguity about its own
Israel says it is determined to destroy Iran's nuclear programme because its archenemy's furtive efforts to build an atomic weapon are a threat to its existence.
What's not-so-secret is that for decades Israel has been believed to be the Middle East's only nation with nuclear weapons, even though its leaders have refused to confirm or deny their existence.
Israel's ambiguity has enabled it to bolster its deterrence against Iran and other enemies, experts say, without triggering a regional nuclear arms race or inviting preemptive attacks.
Israel is one of just five countries that aren't party to a global nuclear nonproliferation treaty. That relieves it of international pressure to disarm, or even to allow inspectors to scrutinise its facilities.
Critics in Iran and elsewhere have accused Western countries of hypocrisy for keeping strict tabs on Iran's nuclear programme — which its leaders insist is only for peaceful purposes — while effectively giving Israel's suspected arsenal a free pass.
- 23 Jun 2025 4:25 PM IST
Markets slump due to heightened tensions in Middle East; Sensex drops 500 pts
Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled on Monday, as intensifying tensions in the Middle East after the US bombed three major nuclear sites in Iran unnerved investors.
After losing over 900 points in day trade, the 30-share index recovered some lost ground to close with a loss of 511.38 points or 0.62 per cent at 81,896.79.
During the day, it tumbled 931.41 points or 1.13 per cent to 81,476.76. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 140.50 points or 0.56 per cent to 24,971.90.
- 23 Jun 2025 4:24 PM IST
Rupee sinks 23 paise to close at 86.78 against US dollar
The rupee plunged 23 paise to close at a five-month low of 86.78 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday amid a strengthening dollar and volatile crude oil prices following the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
A sharp decline in the domestic equity markets further pressured the rupee, according to forex experts. However, strong FII inflows, along with a rise in the country's forex reserves prevented further losses in the rupee, they said.
At the interbank foreign exchange the rupee opened at 86.75 against the greenback and traded in the range of 87.67 to 86.85 before settling at its five-month low of 86.78 (provisional), down 23 paise from its previous close of 86.55 on Friday.
The rupee had closed at 86.70 against the dollar on January 13.
- 23 Jun 2025 4:23 PM IST
Arab countries will be the next target of US, Israel: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah warned the Arab countries on Monday that they will be the next target of Israel and the US as Tel Aviv and Washington are eyeing their oil and gas.
"It is their (United States') long-time policy that Iran should not become a nuclear power. Even the Sunni countries in the region are against it but they do not have the courage to speak up.
"Today, they think Iran has been attacked, but I want to warn them through you that one day, Israel will attack them also, because they want their wealth like oil and gas. Israel is only a facade, America is standing right behind," Abdullah told reporters after a party meeting at Nawa-i-Subah here.
Asked about the impact of the escalation of the war in the Middle East, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said it will severely affect the economic condition of all countries.
