German outlets questioned Trump's claimed success after reports emerged of 400 kilograms of uranium missing from Iranian facilities, suggesting the nuclear program remained partially intact. Iran's response escalated throughout the day, beginning with threats to block the Strait of Hormuz and culminating in evening missile strikes against US bases in Qatar and Iraq.
The Iranian retaliation proved symbolic rather than devastating. Qatar intercepted all incoming rockets, and the Pentagon reported no American casualties. Tehran had provided advance warning, indicating calculated restraint rather than genuine escalation.
Trump's response marked a dramatic shift from his previous rhetoric. By evening, he thanked Iran for the warning and called for "peace and harmony," dismissing the attack as "very weak." Before midnight, he announced a "complete and total ceasefire" between Israel and Iran, though neither side immediately confirmed the agreement. German media portrayed the sequence as Iran's exit strategy rather than defiance.