Trump says Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was now in place and asked both sides not to violate it, raising hopes of an end to the 12-day war even as deadly attacks were reported in both countries, Reuters reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal, declaring that Israel had achieved its goal of removing Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile threat, but warning that it would respond forcefully to any violations, his office said. 

Writing on Truth Social earlier, Trump declared: "THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!"

His announcement came after Iran had launched a fresh wave of missiles, killing four people, according to Israel's ambulance service, and as Iranian authorities reported nine people killed in an attack in northern Iran on Tuesday morning.

When Trump announced on Monday what he called a complete ceasefire to end the war, he appeared to suggest that Israel and Iran would have time to complete missions that were underway, at which point the ceasefire would begin in a staged process. 

His declaration came after a sharp escalation of the conflict since Sunday, when the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran to retaliate by firing missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday.

Early on Tuesday, witnesses said they heard explosions near Tel Aviv and Beersheba in southern Israel. Iran's semi-official SNN news agency reported that Tehran fired its last round of missiles before the ceasefire came into effect.

Israel's military said six waves of missiles were launched by Iran and Israel's national ambulance service said four people were killed in Beersheba.