Israel warned on Tuesday that it would respond “with force” to what it called a breach of the fragile ceasefire with Iran, after accusing Tehran of launching missiles and drones at its territory just hours after the truce, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, came into effect.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to carry out “powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran” in retaliation for the alleged Iranian aggression.
According to an official statement, the IDF intercepted more than 15 drones launched from Iran overnight. The report was accompanied by footage showing the interceptions. IDF Chief of Staff, General Eyal Zamir, warned: “In light of this serious violation of the ceasefire by the Iranian regime, we will strike back with force.”
An air raid siren was briefly activated in northern Israel after the suspected missile launches but was later lifted. Nevertheless, Israeli authorities reiterated their firm stance on retaliatory measures.
Israel’s Airports Authority said the alleged attacks forced a temporary closure of the country’s airspace. Airports in Israel have remained shut since the outbreak of hostilities with Iran, although a few emergency flights had resumed in recent days.
Tehran, however, firmly denied having launched any missiles toward Israel following the ceasefire announcement. “No missile launches have taken place toward the occupied territories in recent hours,” Iran’s state television reported, citing the country’s Armed Forces General Staff.
The conflicting accounts from both sides cast doubt on the stability of the ceasefire agreement announced by Trump early Tuesday, in which he promised an “Official END” to what he called the “12-Day War.”
Tensions further escalated when the Iranian military accused Israel of conducting airstrikes on Iranian territory even after the ceasefire had begun. “The Zionist regime carried out three waves of attacks on Iranian sites up until 9:00 a.m. today,” a spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces told state media, without providing further details.
The U.S.-backed ceasefire plan began in phased steps starting at 04:00 GMT Tuesday. The 12-day conflict has resulted in heavy casualties. In Israel, at least 28 people have been killed and over 1,000 injured. In Iran, Israeli strikes have left 974 dead and more than 3,400 wounded, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.
On Monday, Iran launched a limited missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar in retaliation for American strikes on its nuclear facilities. The U.S. had received advance warning and reported no casualties.
Regional leaders, including those from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, welcomed Trump’s ceasefire announcement. The U.S. president personally contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the truce, while Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with Iranian officials through both direct and indirect channels.
The White House claimed that Saturday’s U.S. airstrike helped push Israel toward accepting the ceasefire and acknowledged Qatar’s role as a key mediator in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has evacuated approximately 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel through a combination of government, military, and chartered flights that began over the weekend.
