12 hours ago
Escalation Follows Trump‑Brokered Ceasefire Declaration
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz declared late on 24 June that he had ordered the Israel Defence Forces to resume 'high‑intensity operations' against regime targets in central Tehran. The announcement followed allegations that Iran had launched missiles into Israeli territory, in what Tel Aviv described as a blatant breach of a United States‑mediated ceasefire unveiled just hours earlier by President Donald Trump.
Trump had proclaimed a 'complete and total ceasefire' on Truth Social, explaining that Iran would halt strikes first, followed by Israel, in a phased arrangement ending after 24 hours. Within three hours of that declaration, Israel alleged that Iran launched missiles toward its southern regions, prompting Katz's directive to strike key Iranian infrastructure.
ADVERTISEMENT
Contradicting Israel's account, Tehran's ISNA student news agency denied firing any missiles post‑ceasefire. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier stated that Tehran would cease retaliatory actions—conditional on Israel halting operations by 04:00 Tehran time, a condition that purportedly lapsed minutes before hostilities were to pause.
President Trump, addressing the situation on social media, urged both nations to honour the agreement and warned against any violations, offering his oversight as guarantor of the pledge. His announcement followed the deployment of U.S. B‑2 bombers striking three Iranian nuclear sites, and a symbolic retaliatory missile strike from Iran against a U.S. base in Qatar—strikes reportedly calibrated to minimise escalation.
Despite conflicting claims, available evidence indicates a spike in missile exchanges. According to Reuters, Israel's southern city of Beersheba was hit, resulting in at least four fatalities, while various townships experienced temporary power outages after sirens sounded across the region as Iranian missiles streaked overhead.
Tehran mourned significant civilian losses, with over 10 Israelis killed and more than 250 injured during Iran's earlier onslaught, which included bombardments on central and southern Israeli regions. Meanwhile, Israel took credit for eliminating senior Iranian military personnel and striking strategic nuclear and missile infrastructure; Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated Israel's success in degrading what he described as a dual existential threat posed by Iran's capabilities.
Regionally, Qatar responded strongly, summoning Iran's ambassador and condemning the attack on U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base as a violation of its sovereignty and international law. Saudi Arabia expressed hope that all parties would uphold the ceasefire and de‑escalate.
International markets reacted positively to the ceasefire's initial announcement. Oil prices dropped, and equities rallied on optimism that the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz might ease—although the renewed strikes quickly revived fears of a wider conflagration.
Experts scrutinise the long‑term viability of the truce. Some analysts suggest installation damage to Iran's nuclear programme may be reversible, with Iran's leadership determined to rebuild. Others view the U.S. use of bunker‑buster bombs and Israel's strategic targeting of Iranian deterrents as potential deterrents that may delay a rapid resurgence.
On the political front, Trump is leveraging the declared ceasefire as a foreign‑policy milestone ahead of an imminent NATO summit. Netanyahu affirmed Israel would respond forcefully to any violations. Tehran warned that its military exercise would persist unless the bombing ended, contending that it acted to 'punish Israel for its aggression until the very last minute'.
As global attention turns to negotiations, Qatar's mediation role and U.S. involvement loom large. The deal remains tentative, with both Israel and Iran accusing each other of breaking terms, and uncertainty surrounding whether Trump's phased ceasefire timeline will endure.
