Israel and Iran both violated a ceasefire agreement, President Donald Trump said 24 June, a significant setback to his attempt at ending the conflict.
Trump told reporters at the White House, Iran violated the deal but “Israel violated it too.”
Previously, Trump announced on social media 23 June a ceasefire deal had been reached—a day after Pope Leo XIV warned world leaders they were headed for an “irreparable abyss.”
Trump said on his social media website Truth Social that the ceasefire, which would be phased in over the following 24 hours as each nation completed “their in progress, final missions,” and would bring an “Official END” to the war.
However, neither Israel nor Iran immediately confirmed the agreement. On 13 June, Israel launched strikes against Iran in what it called a “preemptive” strike to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapon capabilities.
At Trump’s order, the US joined that conflict 21 June, attacking three nuclear facilities in Iran.
In his remarks following his 22 June Angelus address, Pope Leo had earnestly warned leaders to back off from war, saying they had a “moral responsibility” to “stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”