In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Iran launched a fresh wave of missile strikes on Israeli territory just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly declared that a “complete and total ceasefire” had been agreed upon between Israel and Iran.
The ceasefire announcement, which came late on June 23 via Trump’s Truth Social post, was quickly accepted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He confirmed that Israel had achieved its military objectives and was prepared to pause operations in response to Trump’s mediation efforts.
However, the truce appeared to collapse even before it fully took effect. Within hours of the declared ceasefire, explosions were reported in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba. Israeli authorities confirmed that several missiles were fired from Iranian territory, resulting in at least four civilian casualties. Air raid sirens were also triggered in multiple regions, prompting mass evacuations into bomb shelters.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz responded swiftly, ordering a series of retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure near Tehran. In a televised address, Katz accused Iran of violating the ceasefire terms and warned that “any further provocation will be met with overwhelming force.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s government denied launching any missiles post-ceasefire, claiming that no formal agreement was ever signed. Iran’s Foreign Minister reiterated that the Islamic Republic had only agreed to consider halting attacks if Israel ceased its operations by 4 a.m. Tehran time—a deadline Iran claims Israel missed.
Tensions remain extremely high as both nations continue to exchange blame while the international community scrambles to restore peace. The United Nations has called for an emergency session to discuss the deteriorating situation and urged all parties to return to diplomatic channels.
Despite hopes of de-escalation, the latest developments make it clear that the road to peace remains fragile and uncertain. With conflicting narratives from both sides, the ceasefire appears to have been more symbolic than substantive.
