A newly declared ceasefire between Israel and Iran is already under siege, with Israel vowing retaliation in Tehran after claiming a fresh Iranian missile launch. This development threatens to reignite the 12-day conflict just hours after the truce was announced.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated he had ordered the military to “respond forcefully to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire with powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran.” His directive followed air raid sirens in northern Israel and reports of two intercepted Iranian missiles.
The US President’s social media announcement of the ceasefire aimed to bring an end to the protracted conflict. While both Israel and Iran had publicly accepted the truce, the rapid succession of events suggests a deep lack of trust and an immediate challenge to its enforcement.
The conflict had been marked by intense exchanges of fire, including extensive Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and Iranian missile barrages that resulted in casualties in Beersheba. The current trajectory indicates a perilous continuation of hostilities, despite attempts at de-escalation.