A ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump between Israel and Iran was put under immediate strain on Tuesday, just hours after it was announced, following an alleged missile launch into Israel.
The Israeli government accused Iran of violating the newly established truce, escalating fears of renewed conflict in the volatile region.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, ordered retaliatory strikes in response to what he called a “violation of the ceasefire with powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran.”
הנחיתי את צה”ל, בתיאום עם רה”מ, להגיב בעוצמה על הפרת הפסקת האש על ידי איראן בתקיפות עצימות נגד מטרות משטר בלב טהרן.
המשטר האיראני הפר באופן חמור את הפסקת האש שהוכרזה על ידי נשיא ארה”ב ושיגר טילים לעבר ישראל, ובהתאם למדיניות הממשלה כפי שנקבעה – נגיב בעוצמה על כל הפרה.
Iran denied firing any missiles after the ceasefire took effect, according to a statement by the state-run IRIB news agency.
The country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran did not intend to continue attacks unless provoked, indicating a willingness to observe the truce if Israel halted its actions.
Trump’s ceasefire sees early cracks
The ceasefire followed a turbulent night in which Iran retaliated against a US airstrike over the weekend by targeting an American military installation in Qatar.
The strike caused no casualties, and both Qatar and the US were reportedly warned in advance, a move interpreted as a calculated signal by Iran to avoid further escalation.
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”
The truce was the result of high-level diplomacy, which reportedly included direct conversations between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
A senior White House official said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff were involved in both direct and indirect communications with Iranian officials to broker the deal.
Israel agreed to the ceasefire on the condition that Iran refrained from further attacks.
The durability of the ceasefire remains unclear, particularly as accusations of violations emerge within hours of its announcement.
While Iranian officials have signaled a desire to avoid further conflict, the Israeli government’s response to the alleged missile launch suggests that restraint could quickly give way to renewed military action.
As of the time of writing on Tuesday, no additional missile launches had been confirmed, and both sides appeared to pause further strikes.
However, the coming days are expected to test the strength of the ceasefire and the effectiveness of US-led diplomacy in restraining two regional powers with a long history of hostility.
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