Middle East on Edge: Ceasefire Declaration Fails to Halt Israel-Iran Fire

A 12-day war between Israel and Iran shows no signs of abating, despite a ceasefire declaration by the US President. Both sides continued to exchange fire on Tuesday morning, with Israel’s defense minister ordering a “forceful” response to an alleged Iranian missile launch.
The fragile nature of the truce was immediately apparent when air raid sirens blared in northern Israel, signaling what the Israeli military described as an Iranian missile attack. Two missiles were reportedly intercepted, leading to Defense Minister Israel Katz’s swift and strong order for retaliation against targets in Tehran.
The US President’s social media announcement of the ceasefire, just after 5 am BST, called for an immediate halt to hostilities. While both nations had publicly accepted the truce after intense pre-declaration exchanges, the subsequent events have cast serious doubt on its viability and raised questions about the level of commitment from either side.
The conflict has already taken a heavy toll, with five Israelis killed and 22 wounded in Beersheba from Iranian missile attacks. Israel, which initiated the war on June 13, claimed victory and the achievement of its objectives before the ceasefire. However, the continued violence underlines the deep-seated animosity and the complex security landscape in the region.