DUBAI, United Arab Emirates >> U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” but its status remained unclear as attacks continued Tuesday.

Trump’s announcement came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.

Iranian state television announced the ceasefire, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Iranian military had fought “until the very last minute” until 4 a.m., the proposed start of the ceasefire.

But an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment, and as the deadline approached, Israel was continuing to strike Iran with missiles in one of the most intense barrages of the war. The Israeli military also said that sirens had been activated in Israel because of a missile launch from Iran.

It’s not unusual for two adversaries to exchange fire in the early hours of a ceasefire, before a total pause takes effect.

Iran’s foreign minister said that as long as Israel stopped its attacks by 4 a.m. local Tehran time Tuesday, Iran would halt its own. At least one missile interception could be seen over the skies of Jerusalem and warnings of two further attacks followed as day broke. Israel said later that at least three people were killed in latest barrage from Iran.

Trump’s announcement on Truth Social said the ceasefire wouldn’t begin until about midnight Tuesday Eastern time. He said it would bring an “Official END” to the war.

Israel did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire, but there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 a.m. local. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Tehran and other cities until shortly before that time. Israel in other conflicts has stepped up its strikes just before ceasefires took effect.

“As of now, there is NO ‘agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X. “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.”

His message was posted at 4:16 a.m. Tehran time. Araghchi added: “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.”

The ‘12 Day War’

In a post, Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the “12 Day War.” That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the “Six Day War,” in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

Trump’s reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories.

Trump communicated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels.

The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal.

Three diplomats, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy, said that top Qatari officials had intervened on behalf of the Trump administration and persuaded Iran to agree to an American ceasefire proposal after being told Israel had also signed on.

Iran responds to U.S.

Iran attacked a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday, but appeared to indicate it was prepared to reduce tensions. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties, said Trump, who dismissed the attack as a “very weak response.”

Qatar condemned the attack on Al Udeid Air Base as “a flagrant violation” of its sovereignty, airspace and international law. Qatar said it intercepted all but one missile, though it was not clear if that missile caused any damage.

Iran said the volley matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Iran also said it targeted the base because it was outside of populated areas.

Qatar Maj. Gen. Shayeq Al Hajri said 19 missiles were fired at the base that is 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 such wing in the world. Trump said 14 missiles were fired, 13 were knocked down and one was “set free” because it posed no threat.

Iran announced the attack on state television, with a caption calling it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression.”

By early Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signaling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed.

Israel, Iran trade attacks

Israel and Iran traded barrages early Tuesday morning.

Iran struck Israel with missiles and drones while Israel said it attacked “regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”

In Tehran, Israel hit the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests and blew open a gate at Evin prison, which is known for holding political activists.

Iranian state television aired footage it said was shot inside Evin, with prisoners under control. However, the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran said many families of detainees “have expressed deep concern about the safety and condition of their loved ones” in the prison.

The Israeli military also confirmed it struck 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. The Israeli military did not elaborate.

In Vienna, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said he expected there to be heavy damage at the Fordo facility following Sunday’s U.S. airstrike there with sophisticated bunker-buster bombs.

Several Iranian officials, including Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, have claimed Iran removed nuclear material from targeted sites ahead of time.

Regime change

Israeli officials insisted they did not seek the overthrow of Iran’s government, their archenemy since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

But the latest strikes unfolded only hours after Trump himself mentioned the possibility of regime change a day after inserting America into the war with its stealth-bomber strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.

“If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” he asked on his Truth Social website. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later described Trump as “simply raising a question.”

Before the news of a ceasefire, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss high-level internal deliberations, said Israel aimed to wind down the war in the coming days, but that it would depend on the Iranians.

Israel’s preferred outcome is for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and reenter negotiations with the U.S. over its nuclear program, the official said. But Israel is prepared for the possibility of an extended low-intensity war of attrition or period of “quiet for quiet,” in which it would closely monitor Iran’s activities and strike if it identifies new threats.

Hundreds dead

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.

In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war.

The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said.

This report includes information from the New York Times.