Iran denies violating ceasefire with Israel

As Israel was preparing “intense strikes on Tehran”, Iran denied having violated the ceasefire declared by Donald Trump, the BBC reported on June 24th.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has threatened to respond forcefully to a missile barrage that he says was intercepted over northern Israel on the morning of June 24th, Reuters reported. In turn, the Iranian security council made counter threats of a “decisive, firm, and timely response,” Middle East Eye reported on June 24th.

Katz’s threats have provoked a vehement response by Donald Trump, who warned Israel on his Truth Social platform. According to Anadolu Agency on June 24th, he wrote: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!”

Before the truce began, Iran assaulted a US base in Qatar. The attack was a response to US bombings of its nuclear enrichment facilities.  Iranian state media have said that missiles from Israel have battered several cities including the capital of Tehran, reporting that nine have been killed, including a nuclear scientist, according to the BBC on June 24th.

Mohammad Reza Zafarqandi, Iran’s health minister, claimed that 107 had died in total over the last 24 hours, due to Israeli attacks. But in Israel four people were killed in Beersheba on June 24th, before the ceasefire was implemented.

Both Iran and Israel have agreed to Donald Trump’s insistence on a ceasefire. However, the likelihood of continued hostilities has yet to subside. The difficulties of slowing down a cycle of violence are becoming apparent with fractures in the present ceasefire.

BBC, Maghrebi.org, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye