Trump announces “total ceasefire" between Iran and Israel
President Trump has called for peace tonight following an attack by Iran on a US military air base in Qatar in revenge for US strikes on its nuclear facilities at the weekend. This evening, Mr. Trump, writing on social media said that Iran had got it out of its system and that hopefully there'd be no further hate.
He also thanked Iran for giving the US prior warning of the strikes. More on the attack in a moment, but first let's go straight to Washington and to Sarah Smith. So is this Mr. Trump calling for deescalation, Sarah? Well, absolutely. We have not heard definitively from the US administration that they don't intend to launch a retaliatory tit for tat attack.
But President Trump does not sound like somebody who is getting to do ready to do that when he posts on social media in all capital letters, "Congratulations world, it's time for peace." Now, they knew here inside the White House that there was inevitably going to be a retaliatory attack from Iran.
What they didn't know was how aggressive or how destructive it was going to be. And in fact, what we saw was an Iranian action that was pretty much deliberately designed to do as little damage as possible. I mean, what's happened today must be one of the most careful and frankly polite uh military exchanges in recent history.
You had Iran warning the United States in advance of what they were going to do. And then in a post on social media, Donald Trump has even been thanking them. He said, "Uh, I would like to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost and nobody to be injured.
Perhaps Iran can now proceed to peace and harmony in the Eurion. I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same." And Donald Trump then went on to say that Iran had now gotten it got everything out of their system. So that sounds very much like he is ready to declare this over and it's difficult to imagine why Iran would be planning further action after the great care and delicacy they have taken over the attack today.
It was not guaranteed this was going to go this way when Donald Trump launched those air strikes on Saturday night against Iran's nuclear facilities. He could not be sure that this is how Iran was going to respond. This is a best-case scenario in many ways for the United States and for President Trump and there will be great relief inside the White House that this is how it's gone down.
Sarah Smith, thank you very much. Well, tonight the US has lifted the advice to its citizens in Qatar to stay indoors. Qatar says all the Iranian missiles which were aimed at the US military base were intercepted and that there were no casualties. A statement by Iran said that six missiles were launched, the same number used in the American attack on its nuclear site in Foro.
This report is by our security correspondent Frank Gardner. A normal night out in Qatar, but there was nothing normal about this. Six Iranian ballistic missiles arching through the sky aimed at America's air base. Retaliation for the recent US raid on Iran. There were no casualties and all the missiles were intercepted by air defenses.
For experts like this British teacher in Doha, it was still a shock. And and I can only describe it as as it was mesmerizing and terrifying all-in-one. And what we saw were these really bright lights that were suspended in the sky. and then all of a sudden they would shoot towards something and there'd be an explosion. Iran released these pictures of what it says was the missiles being launched, calling it Operation Heralds of Conquest.
Crucially, it gave Qatar advanced notice. Time for its residents to take cover. This was a dramatic yet carefully calibrated attack. The US has around 17 air bases dotted all over the Middle East as well as naval facilities and land bases in Iraq. Qatar hosts the most important air base of all at Aludade on the edge of the Qatari capital Dha, but it's close to Iran.
As these satellite images show, in early June it was hosting aircraft. Two weeks later, they'd been evacuated. Aluade is normally buzzing with warplanes. It's the forward headquarters for US Central Command in the Middle East, home to 10,000 troops and from where all US and Allied air operations are directed in the region. A defiance statement from Iran tonight calling its actions firm and decisive response to US aggression.
But there are signs it may not be looking to take this further. There is still the latent threat to the straight of Hormuz. Iran's parliament voted to block it, which would choke off up to 20% of the world's oil supplies. But that would harm Iran, too, and China. Therefore, for the time being, it is only conceivable that tensions are about to decrease.
