Ceasefire Under Fire as Israel Responds to Alleged Iranian Attack

Just hours after a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump was announced, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered fresh military strikes on Tehran, citing what he described as a violation of the truce by Iran.

In a statement released Tuesday, Katz said he had directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to resume “high-intensity operations targeting regime assets and terror infrastructure in Tehran,” accusing Iran of firing missiles at Israel despite the ceasefire declaration.

“The Iranian regime has blatantly violated the ceasefire declared by the President of the United States,” Katz said.

However, Iran’s state-affiliated ISNA student news agency denied the claims, insisting that no missiles were launched after the ceasefire took effect.

The escalation immediately raised concerns about the durability of the truce, which was meant to end 12 days of intense warfare between the two regional adversaries. Earlier in the day, Trump had declared via his Truth Social platform: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also confirmed the ceasefire, claiming that Israel had achieved its objectives following its surprise June 13 offensive against Iran aimed at crippling Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defense and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” Netanyahu said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had earlier indicated that Tehran would halt its retaliatory strikes, provided Israel ceased attacks by 4:00 a.m. local time.

Despite the conflicting narratives, global financial markets reacted positively to the ceasefire announcement. Stock markets rallied, and oil prices plunged, reflecting hopes that the conflict might finally be winding down — just two days after the United States dramatically entered the war by targeting Iranian nuclear facilities with powerful bunker-busting bombs.

Still, scenes of destruction lingered in Israeli cities like Be’er Sheva, where emergency personnel responded to missile damage at residential sites, underscoring the fragility of the truce and the high stakes should it unravel.