Topics: World News, News, US News, Donald Trump, Politics, Iran
The Israeli Defence Minister has promised to 'respond forcefully' after Iran allegedly violated the ceasefire between the two countries just hours after it was agreed upon.
US President Donald Trump announced peace between Iran and Israel last night, days after bombing three of Iran's nuclear sites himself.
Claiming on Truth Social that a ceasefire was 'now in effect', he warned the pair: "Please do not violate it!"
Hours prior, Iran had launched an attack on a US base in Qatar. The same evening, both Iran and Israel sustained loss of life during the deadliest evening of the strikes so far.
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Israel confirmed the deaths of at least four individuals in the south, whilst the Iranian government recorded the deaths of nine people. A further 33 have been injured and four homes destroyed in an attack in the north.
Oddly, at the time of the Trump's ceasefire announcement, neither Iran nor Israel had confirmed that a ceasefire agreement had actually taken place. The BBC reported previously that Israel hadn't publicly accepted any agreement, whilst Iran claimed the peace has been 'imposed' upon Israel - though, they themselves had agreed.
After the Republican leader gave the pair a deadline to agree to the terms of the 'complete and total ceasefire', however - which he proposed would begin at 5am - both Israel and Iran reportedly confirmed their agreement.
"Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire," an official statement from Israeli representatives agreed, adding that their country had 'achieved the objectives' it needed to with its initial attack on Iran.
"Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat."
Since then, however, the Israeli military claim to have been subjected to a number of further missiles, reportedly launched by Iran.
Israel's air defence systems are said to be 'operating to intercept the threat', and government officials have been informing its citizens to find shelter until further notice.
Following the news, the Israeli Defence Minister issued a statement, vowing his forces will 'respond forcefully to Iran's violation of the ceasefire with intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran'.
Minutes later, Israel's finance minister and close ally of the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, also issued an eerie threat on X (formerly Twitter), promising: "Tehran will shake."
Iran has since denied Israel's accusation of a missile attack.
In a statement released by the country's Supreme National Security Council discusses the importance of 'imposing the halt of the war' on Israel and its 'terrorist supporters', adding that 'any further aggression will be met with a decisive, firm, and timely response by Iran'.
The message also praised citizens of Iran for their 'awareness, resilience and unity', and commends militant agents for delivering 'decisive and calculated blows' in retaliation for attacks on Iran.
Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces, Abdolrahim Mousavi, has also denied firing any missiles towards Israel in recent hours.
Prior to the latest missile accusations, Trump, 79, had written online of both countries: "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'.
"This is a war that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!"
