US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to hold a news conference on Thursday to offer a fresh assessment of strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a stinging row over how much American bombardment set back Tehran’s nuclear program.

“They fought very, very hard and very viciously, very violently, and they were both satisfied to go home and get out,” said Trump.

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah on Wednesday hailed what it called its ally Iran’s victory over Israel after 12 days of war, declaring it the start of a “new historical phase”.

“They’re not going to be building bombs for a long time,” said Trump, adding that the strikes had set back the programme by “decades” and that the Iran-Israel ceasefire that he declared was going “very well”.

“I believe we have delivered a significant hit to the nuclear programme, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years,” he said.

A classified preliminary US intelligence report, however, concluded that American strikes on Iran set back its nuclear program by just a few months.

“We have achieved a historic victory,” Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation after the start of a ceasefire agreed to by both countries.

The Rwandan government on Tuesday denied rumours that President Paul Kagame was sick following his absence from public appearances in recent weeks.

“Following President Trump’s conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israel refrained from further strikes,” a statement said.

A ceasefire between Iran and Israel is now “in effect”, US President Donald Trump said Tuesday, moments after he accused both countries of violating the truce.

Iran’s government said Tuesday it had “taken the necessary measures” to ensure the continuation of its nuclear programme after US and Israeli strikes targeted its facilities.

“I instructed the Israeli army to respond forcefully to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire by launching powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran,” Katz said in a statement.

A divided US Supreme Court paved the way on Monday for the Trump administration to resume deportations of undocumented migrants to countries that are not their own.

Oil prices sank more than five percent Tuesday after Israel said it had agreed to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a bilateral ceasefire with Iran. At around 0640 GMT, Brent was down 5.0 percent at $67.93 per barrel, while the main US crude contract WTI was 5.1 percent lower at $65.01 per barrel. US […]

According to the US president, Iran gave warning of the missile salvo, indicating that it wanted to avoid casualties.