What we are discussing
• Trump declares ceasefire: On Monday evening, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, expressing hope that it will become a lasting agreement.
• Intercepted assault on US base: The Defense Ministry of Qatar reported that its air defense systems successfully intercepted a missile attack from Iran aimed at the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. There have been no reported casualties or injuries.
• Reaction following US strikes: American officials had been bracing for the possibility that Iran might target US installations ever since the US conducted strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend. According to two defense officials who spoke to CNN last week, the US military had relocated some aircraft from the Al Udeid base in response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
House Speaker Mike Johnson responded to President Donald Trump’s declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran by commending the president’s leadership, stating that "this is what peace through strength looks like."
"This is truly an extraordinary accomplishment. President Trump is deserving of all the accolades. This exemplifies what peace through strength entails. We have not witnessed this in quite some time, and it brings a significant sense of relief here on Capitol Hill," Johnson remarked to reporters at the US Capitol on Monday, shortly after Trump made the ceasefire announcement on Truth Social.
Describing it as "a truly significant day" and "historic," Johnson further noted that the requests from other legislators for a War Powers resolution that could restrict the president’s ability to authorize additional strikes on Iran were "somewhat irrelevant now, wouldn’t you agree?"
Additionally, Johnson mentioned that he anticipated receiving a briefing on the situation the following day, indicating that a briefing had already been scheduled but "I suspect it will have a different tone now."