Trump calls Israel, Iran ‘complete and total ceasefire’

This is a War that could have gone on for years, US President Donald Trump says (File- Alex Brandon-AP Photo).

WASHUNGTON, Jun 24, (AP/UNB)-U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on social media Monday that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” to be phased in over 24 hours.

Israel and Iran did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire and heavy Israeli strikes continued in Tehran and other cities early Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, Iran launched a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of three key Iranian nuclear facilities. The U.S. said no casualties were reported. 

About 250 Americans have been evacuated from Israel, official says

The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official says.

Since June 21, the official says the U.S. has organized seven flights, most of which have to gone to Athens, Greece, but also to Rome, Italy, and Larnaca, Cyprus.

Other Americans, including nonessential embassy staff and their families, have left via land to Jordan and Egypt, while others have departed Israel by ship. The official did not have statistics for those departures, which do not necessarily involve U.S. government assistance.

There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel.