US president Donald Trump today criticised both Israel and Iran over what he said were violations of a ceasefire agreement he helped broker to end a 12-day conflict between the two countries.
"We basically have two countries that have been fighting for so long and so hard that they don't know what the [expletive deleted] they're doing," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for the Nato summit in The Hague.
Trump said Iran fired a missile at Israel after the ceasefire deadline had passed, and that it missed its target. "Now Israel is going out," he said, adding that he was also unhappy with Israel's response.
"I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal. They didn't have to unload, and I didn't like the fact that the retaliation was very strong," he said.
Trump had announced that the ceasefire would begin around midnight ET on 24 June, ending nearly two weeks of hostilities that included US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend of 21-22 June.
Earlier today, Israel accused Iran of firing missiles after the ceasefire took effect and vowed to retaliate. Iran's military denied the claim, according to Iranian state media.
Trump then took to his Truth Social platform to urge Israel not to respond. "DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!"
He later posted that Israel would not attack Iran. "All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave' to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!" he said.
Trump also commented on the US strikes against Iran's nuclear infrastructure over the weekend.
"I think it's been completely demolished. I think the reason we're here is because those pilots, those B-2 pilots, did an unbelievable job," he said. The extent of the damage has not been independently verified.
Trump added that Iran would not be able to rebuild its Fordow nuclear facility — the country's main site for enriching uranium to 60pc. "Iran will never rebuild its nuclear… From there? Absolutely not. That place is under rock. That place is demolished," he said.