JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL, June 24 (Reuters) – The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announced earlier by U.S. President Donald Trump, appeared to be in jeopardy on Tuesday.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated he had ordered the military to conduct new strikes on Tehran, alleging that Iran fired missiles in violation of the ceasefire.
Iran denied these accusations, with Nour News reporting that the armed forces general staff refuted any missile launches towards Israel.
- “Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council asserted that its military had forced Israel to “unilaterally accept defeat and accept a ceasefire,” but vowed to “keep their hands on the trigger” in response to any perceived aggression.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had previously indicated that Iran would cease retaliatory strikes if Israel ceased attacks as of 4 a.m. in Tehran.
Prior to the ceasefire announcement, reports indicated missiles killed four people in Beersheba, according to the Israeli ambulance service. Conversely, Iranian officials claimed nine people, including a nuclear scientist, were killed in a strike on a residential building in northern Iran.
Global Reaction: A Sigh of Relief Tempered by Doubt
Despite the renewed tensions, the initial reaction to the ceasefire announcement was largely positive, with hopes rising for an end to the unprecedented direct confrontation between the two nations.
- Global stock markets surged, and oil prices tumbled following the ceasefire announcement, driven by optimism about a resolution to the war following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
However, the latest developments have cast a shadow of doubt over the ceasefire’s stability.
Katz stated he instructed Israel’s military to “continue high-intensity operations targeting regime assets and terror infrastructure in Tehran” due to “Iran’s blatant violation of the ceasefire declared by the President of the United States.”
President Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”
Both Israel and Iran had initially confirmed the ceasefire following Trump’s announcement.
Netanyahu claimed that Israel had achieved its objectives in launching the June 13 surprise attack on Iran: the destruction of its nuclear program and missile capabilities.
- “We’re happy, very happy. Who mediated or how it happened doesn’t matter. The war is over. It never should have started in the first place,” said Reza Sharifi, 38, who had relocated with his family to escape strikes on the capital.
- “I was so worried that Iran would end up like Syria or Iraq,” said Maryam, 41. “I want my two children to grow up in peace. I want them to live their childhood happily.”
The Conflict’s Toll
Israel initiated the conflict on June 13, targeting Iranian nuclear sites and killing high-ranking military officials, marking the gravest threat faced by the Islamic Republic since its war with Iraq in the 1980s.
During the campaign, Israel expressed willingness to topple Iran’s government and struck symbolic targets, including Tehran’s Evin prison.
Iranian officials report that hundreds have died in airstrikes, but independent confirmation is difficult due to tight media control.
Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes resulted in 28 deaths in Israel.
U.S. Involvement & Mediation
Trump entered the war on Saturday with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites using powerful bunker-buster bombs.
A White House official said Trump had brokered the ceasefire deal, contingent on Iran ceasing further attacks.
- “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR’,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also played a role in securing Tehran’s agreement.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in direct and indirect contact with Iranian officials.
Iran responded to U.S. participation in the airstrikes by firing missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar, causing no injuries.
Trump thanked Tehran for providing advance warning, calling the strike “a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered.”
The U.S. had been engaged in negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program after Trump withdrew from a previous agreement in 2018. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful.
- “Now Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have, because we destroyed it,” Vance said in an interview on Fox News.
