June 24 – Jerusalem/Washington/Istanbul
Just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump dramatically announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, tensions reignited Tuesday when Israel accused Tehran of violating the truce.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp statement, claiming Iran had launched missiles despite the agreement. “In response to Iran’s blatant violation of the ceasefire declared by the U.S. President, I’ve directed our forces to resume high-intensity strikes targeting key regime facilities in Tehran,” Katz said.
However, Iran quickly rejected the accusation. The country’s semi-official ISNA news agency quoted military sources denying any missile launches toward Israel. “No missile was fired by Iranian forces in recent hours,” reported Nour News, which is affiliated with Iran’s security establishment.
The tit-for-tat statements have already cast a shadow over the fragile ceasefire that was supposed to bring an end to nearly two weeks of intense conflict. Earlier, Trump had posted on Truth Social:
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”
Both sides initially agreed to the truce following Trump’s intervention. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had even claimed that Israel had accomplished its objectives, which included dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
“Israel thanks President Trump and the American people for standing by us and for their role in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” Netanyahu stated shortly after the ceasefire was announced.
On the other side, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council struck a different tone. It claimed that Iranian resistance had forced Israel to back down and accept peace on Tehran’s terms. “The enemy was made to unilaterally accept defeat,” the council said, adding that Iran’s forces remain on high alert for any future provocations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi added that Tehran would cease its retaliatory strikes as long as Israel stopped its aggression by 4 a.m. local time.
In the final moments before the truce, violence still took lives on both sides. Israeli officials reported that missiles killed four civilians in the city of Beersheba, while Iranian media claimed that a strike on a residential complex in northern Iran left nine dead, including a nuclear scientist.
With fresh strikes now reportedly underway, the already fragile ceasefire appears to be unraveling — and the hope for de-escalation slipping further out of reach.
