Holiday Recap: The Ceasefire Announcement
By Sammy,
Trump announced the pause on Truth Social, writing that "based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan," he had agreed "to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks." He framed it as a mutual halt, saying "this will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!" and claiming the US had "already met and exceeded all Military objectives."
The White House backed this framing. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared it "a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen," adding that the operation had "achieved and exceeded our core military objectives in 38 days." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth went further, calling it "a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield" and claiming the US had "finished completely destroying Iran's defense-industrial base."
Trump told AFP he had won "a total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it."
The Strait of Hormuz
Control of the strait was the ceasefire's central condition. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that "for a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations." Two ships passed through within hours.
Trump claimed credit, with Leavitt saying "President Trump got the Strait of Hormuz reopened" - though the channel was open before the war began, and Iran's new coordination requirement marked a significant change from the previous free-navigation status quo.
The Disputed Peace Framework
Major confusion emerged over what had actually been agreed. Iran publicly released a 10-point plan demanding, among other things, "continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of enrichment, lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions." Washington immediately pushed back, with a senior official saying "the document being reported by media outlets is not the working framework."
Trump himself posted angrily that "numerous agreements, lists, and letters are being sent out by people who have absolutely nothing to do with the USA/Iran negotiation," calling some of them "total fraudsters, charlatans, and WORSE." He insisted there is "only one group of meaningful 'POINTS' that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors."
Adding to the confusion, Iran's Farsi version of the plan contained an explicit demand for "the acceptance of Iran's uranium enrichment" that was entirely absent from the English translation - raising serious questions about what Tehran had actually agreed to and what it expected from the talks.
The Lebanon Question
Pakistan's PM claimed the ceasefire applied to "their allies" and covered "an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere." Iran and France echoed this. Israel flatly rejected it - Netanyahu's office stating bluntly that "the two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon."
Far from standing down, the IDF launched what it called its largest wave of strikes against Hezbollah since the conflict began, hitting around 100 targets within ten minutes in an operation internally codenamed "Eternal Darkness." IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir vowed "we will continue to strike the Hezbollah terror organization and seize every opportunity. We will not compromise on the security of northern residents."
Lebanon's health ministry reported 112 killed and 837 wounded on Wednesday. The UN "strongly condemned" the strikes, calling on all sides to "avail themselves of diplomatic channels."
Iranian and Proxy Responses
Despite the ceasefire, Iran's IRGC issued a stark warning: "if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response." Iranian state media reported that Tehran was prepared to withdraw from the agreement entirely over the Lebanon strikes.
Iran also launched drone and missile attacks on Kuwait and the UAE after an oil refinery on Lavan Island was hit, though Israel denied involvement. Kuwait's army reported its air defenses intercepting drones targeting "vital oil facilities, power stations and water desalination plants."
Iran-backed factions in Iraq announced a two-week suspension of operations, but the US embassy in Baghdad warned that "Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran conducted multiple drone attacks" near the Baghdad airport and that further attacks on US targets were possible.
International Reaction
Global response was broadly welcoming but cautious. French President Macron called the ceasefire "a very good thing" but added "our wish is to ensure that the ceasefire fully includes Lebanon." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed it as "a step back from the brink" that creates "a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping."
European markets surged, with Frankfurt jumping five percent and Paris rallying 3.5 percent. Pope Leo, who had called Trump's pre-ceasefire threats "truly unacceptable," welcomed the pause with "satisfaction" but cautioned that "only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved."
Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid was scathing, calling it "the greatest diplomatic disaster in all our history" and saying Netanyahu "failed diplomatically, failed strategically and did not meet any of the goals he himself set."
What Comes Next
Formal talks between the US and Iran are scheduled to begin Friday in Islamabad, with Pakistan serving as mediator. VP Vance described the situation as a "fragile truce," warning that while Trump had instructed his team to "negotiate in good faith," achieving a deal was "a big if, and ultimately, it's up to the Iranians." The US military made clear it remains on standby, with General Dan Caine stating plainly: "a ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready, if ordered or called upon."
Topics: Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon & Hezbollah
Reported by Sammy for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.