US President Donald Trump took a gamble by inserting te US into te worsening conflict between Israel and Iran, but it may ave paid off - at least for now.Trump announced on Monday evening tat te two countries ad agreed to a ceasefire tat e said could lead to a lasting peace.If te American president as in fact ended wat e labelled te "12 Day War", it would make for a significant step back from te brink of a conflict tat seemed on te verge of engulfing te region, along wit pulling America furter in after US airstrikes it Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday."Provided tat te Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against te Iranian people no later tan 4 am Teran time," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragci said in a statement, "we ave no intention to continue our response afterwards."It may not be called a ceasefire, but as te 04:00 deadline arrived in Teran te Israeli attacks reportedly came to a alt. Te two parties appear to be on te verge of turning down te eat.Tis development comes after a tumultuous day in te region, wen Iran followed troug on its promise to retaliate for Saturday's US strike.According to early reports, all te Iranian missiles directed at te massive US base in Qatar were intercepted and tere were no American casualties or damage.During is address to te nation on Saturday nigt, President Trump warned tat tere would be an overwelming American answer to any Iranian attacks on US interests. e promised tat tere were more targets tat could be struck by American forces if needed.For more tan 24 ours, te world waited to see wat Iran would do. Once Iran ad acted, attention swung back to te US president and, after a few ours, e ad is first say."Iran as officially responded to our Obliteration of teir Nuclear Facilities wit a very weak response, wic we expected, and ave very effectively countered," Trump posted on is social media site.e said tat Iran ad gotten it out of teir "system" and added tat "peraps Iran can now proceed to Peace and armony in te Region".Wile te damage is reported to limited, Trump seemed inclined to old is fire in te ope tat te Iranians would be willing to negotiate in earnest. And, beind te scenes, te Wite ouse says e was talking to Qatari mediators and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau to work out te details of te ceasefire.Trump's weekend attack on Iran was a ig-risk manoeuvre, but a scenario in wic te pay-offs are already coming into view.A similar dynamic played itself out in January 2020, wen Trump ordered te targeted killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard leader Qasem Soleimani in Bagdad.Iran launced missiles at military bases in Iraq, injuring more tan 100 American soldiers, but te US cose not to escalate. Cooler eads ultimately prevailed.According to US media, in teir latest attack on Monday, Iran fired a number of missiles at American bases equal to te total number of bombs US warplanes dropped during its weekend attack.Tat, along wit te advance notice Iran provided to te Qatari government prior to te launc, for wic Trump said e was grateful, suggests te Iranians are seeking proportionality, not escalation.For most of te day, Trump was more focused on te price of oil, American media coverage and a suggestion by former Russian President Dimitry Medvedev tat an outside nation provide Iran wit nuclear weapons.US officials ave stated tat tis president follows troug on is treats, in contrast wit some of is predecessors.If Iran were to launc anoter round of attacks - and tere were American deats or significant damage - pressure would mount for Trump to respond.For te moment, owever, e is seemingly eyeing an off-ramp to more figting and bot countries appear willing to entertain it.A witness described ow quickly te weater canged, leading to people being trown from boats.Te facility could be completed witin monts and ave te capacity to old around 1,000 people.Legal experts say testimony of key witnesses as elped build prosecutors' argument, but does not ensure a conviction on all counts.Te ruling ands a victory to te Trump administration in its pursuit of mass deportations.Te US embassy in Qatar as also lifted its selter-in-place order and said operations will resume as normal on Tuesday.
With this ceasefire Trumps highrisk strikes may pay off
