The State Department described the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran as “fragile” but “steady,” despite some earlier concerns about each side violating terms of the deal.
“With any ceasefire dynamic, it’s fragile. And in the meantime, of course, things did come together, and there has been quiet in that region,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.
Bruce also said Trump’s proclivity for making “clear his opinion” through social media posts and other public statements is what “keeps things moving.”
“The president has believed from the beginning that diplomacy can stop wars, that it is the thing that we should rely on. He leaned into that, and it’s continuing to work,” Bruce added. “This is a dynamic now that is in play and is, I think, steady.”
Trump on Monday announced the parameters of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, saying he was confident it would end the fighting — which he dubbed the “12-day war.” The announcement came just two days after the U.S. entered the conflict, hitting three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend.
“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump posted to Truth Social at 6 p.m. EDT, adding that it would begin “in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!”
Trump indicated Iran would stop the fighting first, followed by Israel and that all fighting would end in a matter of 24 hours.
But early Tuesday, the ceasefire appeared to be on shaky grounds as Israel accused Iran of violating the deal and vowed retaliation. Iran denied those claims.
Trump issued a stern warning to Iran but took aim at Israel, too.
“We basically — we have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f‑‑‑ they’re doing,” Trump told reporters at the White House before taking off for a trip to The Hague for the NATO summit.
Trump, shortly thereafter, announced on Truth Social that Israel agreed not to attack and that the ceasefire was still in effect. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel “refrained from additional strikes” against Iran after speaking to Trump.
“ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said.
