Tuesday, June 24

After Iran retaliated with strikes on an American military base in Qatar, US President Donald Trump has confirmed a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

Following the United States' recent bombings on three major Iranian nuclear sites this week, Iran decided to retaliate with airstrikes on the largest American military base in the Middle East. Iran launched dozens of missiles at the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which houses over 10,000 troops, responding to Trump's strikes on the Iranian nuclear development sites of Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz.

The exact number of missiles launched is unclear; Trump claims that it was a barrage of 14 missiles, with 13 taken down and one let go due to its harmless trajectory, but officials at the Qatar air base have stated that the attack involved 19 missiles, with one hitting the base. Nevertheless, no casualties were reported, meaning that the entire operation went without losing lives on the American side.

Trump has also confirmed that Iran gave the US a warning before launching the strikes, meaning that the retaliation was mostly symbolic. This means that it is unlikely that Iran continues a war with the United States, though the airspace of Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates still closed down due to the conflict, affecting thousands of flights across some of the busiest airports in the world.

Despite the probable ending of the US-Iran portion of the conflict, Israel and Iran continued to trade airstrikes all throughout Monday. Trump claimed that a ceasefire had been achieved around midday Monday, with the war -- labeled the 12 Day War in his social media post -- expected to end within 24 hours of his announcement.

The question over whether a ceasefire was actually achieved remains unanswered, though, as strikes have continued even after his announcement. Iran confirmed that their latest attacks on Israel were the final bombardments of the war, and a ceasefire had been put into place. However, Israel has not commented on the ceasefire at all, and many officials within the American government did not even know of any negotiations going on.

Fact of the Day (BBC): Pine trees can tell if it's about to rain. Next time you see a pine cone, take a close look. If it’s closed, that’s because the air is humid, which can indicate that rain is on its way. 

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The only person who can stop you from reaching your goals is you. (Jackie Joyner-Kersee)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Wherewithal (noun, WAIR-wih-thawl) - Wherewithal refers to the means, skills, resources, or money that is needed to get or do something.

In a Sentence: The company does not have the financial wherewithal to expand into other markets at this time.