Trump thanks Iran for heads up on strike, urges end to hostilities
President Trump thanked Iran for giving the United States advance warning before a retaliatory Iranian missile strike on an emptied U.S. air base in Qatar today, saying the heads up enabled the U.S. as well as Qatar to sustain no casualties.
He also said he would encourage Israel to end hostilities if Iran would observe a truce.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday afternoon, a few hours after Iran launched about ten missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, in retaliation for US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday.
“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,” he continued.
“Congratulations world, it’s time for peace!” he wrote in a subsequent post.
Trump also thanked the Emir of Qatar “for all that he has done in seeking peace for the region,” suggesting that the two leaders spoke today, as well as that Qatar may have been involved in helping mediate a face-saving Iranian response that would not cause further escalation.
Qatar’s government strongly condemned Iran’s missile salvo on the base on its territory, which Qatar said it intercepted. It also urged the parties to go to a ceasefire.
“We call for the immediate cessation of all military actions and for a serious return to the negotiating table and dialogue,” a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Endgame to the conflict?
Some analysts said they saw the potential for an end game to the conflict emerging after the dizzying exchange of missiles and fire power over the past two weeks.
“Following these strikes – which at first glance appear symbolic and highly telegraphed—there is an ideal endgame emerging to the current conflict,” Dan Caldwell, a former advisor to the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, wrote on Twitter.
“Israel ramps down their air strikes over the next few days (as Netanyahu has implied they plan to do), Iran stops their missile attacks against Israel and launches no further attacks on US bases, and the U.S. does not conduct follow on strikes on Iran,” Caldwell, now with Defense Priorities think tank, wrote. “In this scenario, all sides can claim some form of victory.”
“100%. There is a golden opportunity for a ceasefire now,” Ali Vaez, director of the Iran program at the International Crisis Group, responded to Caldwell’s analysis on Twitter.
(Photo: Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's military said it had targeted the Al-Udeid air base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS)
Update: Trump announced Israel and Iran will start a ceasefire on Tuesday.
**