Washington/Tehran/Tel Aviv, June 25, (dpa/GNA) – A ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect early on Tuesday, with the two countries confirming an earlier announcement by US President Donald Trump – although its durability was uncertain amid reports of new attacks.
“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform late on Monday, specifying that it would be introduced in stages over the following hours.
Iranian media subsequently reported that a ceasefire with Israel came into force at 7:30 am (0400 GMT) on Tuesday, followed by a confirmation from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel had met its objectives and more, removing a “double existential threat – on both the nuclear issue and regarding ballistic missiles,” the Israeli government said, after Netanyahu informed his Security Cabinet of the ceasefire agreement late on Monday.
“Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,” the government warned in its statement.
Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli military said Iran had again fired rockets at Israel on Tuesday. Sirens wailed in numerous towns in the north of the country, the military said. People were urged to seek shelter, and an Israeli TV reporter said that explosions were heard.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced swift retaliation.
“I have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to respond forcefully to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire with powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran,” Katz said in a statement.
Iran and Israel continued exchanging fire right up until the ceasefire, with casualties reported on both sides.
At least nine people were killed in the northern Iranian city of Rasht ahead of the ceasefire, according to the Tasnim news agency. A further 33 people were injured in the attack on a residential area, it wrote.
State media reported that a senior Iranian nuclear scientist was killed in Israeli attacks in the morning.
In a morning attack from Iran on Israel, at least five people were killed and 20 others injured, according to a local rescue service in Beersheba.
The Israeli Air Force attacked and destroyed missile launch pads in western Iran, that had been used in the latest attacks on Israeli territory, the military announced.
If it holds, the ceasefire will be considered a success for Trump, after the United States joined the conflict at the weekend with surgical strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.
“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.
Early Sunday, the US struck three key nuclear sites in Iran in support of Israel.
The US intervention, which involved bunker-busting bombs dropped on the important uranium enrichment facility in Fordow and the nuclear plant in Natanz, as well as strikes on another facility in Isfahan, was seen as a sharp escalation in the war between Iran and Israel.
Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iranian targets on June 13, saying it aims to prevent the country from building a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.
Iran retaliated with waves of missile and drone strikes on Israel. There have been deaths and casualties on both sides.
GNA