The ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday after the 12-day Israel-Iran war that lasted from 13 June to 24 June 2025 ended the conflict. Israel, Iran and America, all three claimed victory, but the question arises: Who is the real winner? Israel claimed that it “destroyed” Iran’s atomic and ballistic missile capabilities in ‘Operation Rising Lion’. The US achieved “historical success” on 21 June by attacking B-2 stealth bombers at Fordo, Natanj and Isfahan nuclear bases. On the other hand, Iran on 23 June announced “victory” by a missile attack on Qatar’s al-Udded and Iraq’s Ain al-Assad American bases.
A few hours after the ceasefire announcement, Israel accused Iran of a missile attack, which Tehran dismissed. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a “strong attack” on Tehran, while Iran said that it would stop only when the Israeli attacks.
Israel and the United States claim that Iran’s nuclear program weakened, but IAEA’s satellite imagery suggests that the damage in Fordo was partial and Iran had already secured uranium reserves. Iran claimed that it maintained the regional balance and showed her strength from the attack on American bases. Russia and China condemned the attacks, while global oil prices fell 7% to $ 68.76 per barrel.
About 400 Iranians and 24 Israeli were killed in this war. Trump described it as a “12-day war”, calling it a diplomatic win, but Democratic MP Alexandra Okasio-Cortez criticized the war without parliamentary permission. Actually, no complete winners emerged; Israel and the US gained strategic lead, but Iran’s retaliation maintained regional tension.
