A TENTATIVE truce proposed by President Donald Trump hung in the balance as Israel said Iran had launched missiles into its airspace less than three hours after a ceasefire went into effect and vowed to retaliate. Explosions boomed and sirens sounded across northern Israel midmorning on Tuesday, after both Israel and Iran on Tuesday accepted the ceasefire plan to end the 12-day war roiling the Middle East. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the missiles a violation of the ceasefire and instructed Israel’s military to resume “the intense operations to attack Tehran and to destroy targets of the regime and terror infrastructure.” Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was in effect on Tuesday after the deal initially faltered, and the American leader expressed deep frustration with both sides. Israel had earlier accused Iran of launching missiles into its airspace after the truce was supposed to take effect, and the Israeli finance minister vowed that “Tehran will tremble.” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for a NATO summit that, in his view, both sides had violated the nascent agreement.

 

He had particularly strong words for Israel, a close ally, while suggesting Iran may have fired on the country by mistake. But later he said the deal was saved. “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly “Plane Wave” to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!” Trump said in his Truth Social post. Indeed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he held off on tougher strike against Iran after speaking to Trump. The shaky agreement was announced early on Tuesday morning after Tehran launched a retaliatory limited missile attack on a US military base in Qatar on Monday. Between Trump’s post and the start of the ceasefire, Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn and Iran replied with an onslaught of missiles that killed at least 4 people in Israel early on Tuesday morning. Israel said it had intercepted the midmorning barrage of missiles that came hours into the truce. “Tehran will tremble” Israel’s Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich wrote on X after the missiles were launched.

 

Netanyahu accepts ceasefire as Iranian state TV says fighting has stopped The midmorning barrage of missiles came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with Iran in coordination with Trump. Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel’s security Cabinet on Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Israel also damaged Iran’s military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran’s skies, Netanyahu said. “Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,” Netanyahu said. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Iranian cities until shortly before 4 a.m., followed by Iranian barrages that sent Israelis hurrying into bomb shelters as the sun rose. Writing over an hour after a deadline passed for Iran to halt its attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!” Iranian state television reported that the ceasefire went into effect at 7:30 a.m., but Iranian officials have not commented since Trump’s announcement. Hours earlier Iran’s top diplomat said the country was prepared to halt airstrikes.

 

“As of now, there is NO agreement’ on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X. “However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.” Araghchi added: “The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.” Iranian missiles kill 4 in Israel Israel’s military said Iran launched 20 missiles toward Israel before the ceasefire began. Police said they damaged at least three densely packed residential buildings in the city of Beersheba. At least 20 people were injured.