‘They Don’t Know What They’re Doing’: Trump Explodes Over Fragile Iran-Israel Truce

Hours after declaring peace, President Trump goes ballistic as tensions between Israel and Iran simmer

In typical Donald Trump fashion, what started as a self-congratulatory victory lap turned into a full-blown rant. The US president, who had earlier celebrated a “total ceasefire” between Israel and Iran, lashed out on Tuesday after early signs showed the truce might already be unraveling.

“They’ve been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f**k they’re doing,” Trump told reporters bluntly during an impromptu White House media scrum.

The outburst came just hours after he announced the end of what he dubbed the “12-Day War” a brief but intense conflict that saw Iran pounded by Israeli and US strikes targeting nuclear facilities, and Iran retaliating with drone and missile barrages.

Trump’s Ceasefire Plan: A 24-Hour Phased Truce

According to Trump, the ceasefire agreement, orchestrated with what he described as “great stamina and courage” by both sides , was meant to begin at 4:00 GMT on Tuesday, with Iran halting operations first, followed by Israel 12 hours later.

In theory, that fragile structure would offer both parties an off-ramp to de-escalate. In reality, Trump’s own frustration suggests things didn’t go exactly to plan.

By midday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform in all caps, warning Israel not to backslide:

“ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

He followed that with another urgent plea:

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

Israel Claims Victory, Iran Claims Leverage

Israel, for its part, publicly endorsed Trump’s ceasefire initiative and claimed it had “achieved all its military objectives.” The Israeli Defence Forces reported no further activity after 07:45 GMT.

Iran, however, refused to officially accept the deal a deliberate power play that allowed it to save face. Instead, Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council said Israel had been “compelled” to stop unilaterally.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that sentiment, insisting that Tehran would not resume fighting unless Israel did. He framed Iran’s stance as a defensive one, accusing Israel of initiating the hostilities.

Why Trump Is So Mad And What It Really Means

Trump’s fury reflects both his signature performative style and the fragile nature of ad hoc diplomacy. His expletive-laden comment, though shocking, fits a familiar Trumpian script: boastful peace broker one minute, berating world leaders the next.

His message, however, is clear and likely aimed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Don’t test my patience.

What makes this different from previous Trump-era flare-ups is that this war brief as it was , brought US military involvement dangerously close to open confrontation with Iran. It also comes at a time when the former president is juggling reelection ambitions, economic woes, and a chaotic global stage.

A War that Almost Was and Could Be Again

While it may have lasted just under two weeks, the conflict has left deep scars across the region, with Iranian nuclear infrastructure reportedly heavily damaged and civilian anxiety running high on both sides.

Online, reactions were split. On X (formerly Twitter), critics accused Trump of grandstanding with no real diplomatic foundation, while his supporters praised him for “getting the job done without a war” despite the dozen days of combat.

One Iranian user posted sarcastically:

“Trump made peace with himself and called it a ceasefire.”

What’s Next?

For now, the guns have fallen silent, but the political heat has not. Whether the truce holds will depend largely on behind-the-scenes diplomacy and whether either side wants to test Trump’s warnings.

With the US elections inching closer and Middle East tensions never far from boiling over, the world will be watching what happens next and whether this so-called ceasefire becomes a turning point or just another pause in a cycle of violence.

In the end, Trump may have said it best himself:

“This is a war that could have gone on for years… but it didn’t. And it never will.”

For the sake of peace, one can only hope he’s right.

Ceasefire After the Firestorm: Israel Declares Victory Over Iran in 12-Day War

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com