Middle East on Edge: Iran-Israel Ceasefire Crumbles Amid Renewed Hostilities
Middle East on Edge: Iran-Israel Ceasefire Crumbles Amid Renewed Hostilities
The fragile calm in the Middle East has shattered, with a newly brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran teetering on the brink of collapse. Just hours after a temporary cessation of hostilities was meant to take full effect, Israel has accused Tehran of a blatant violation, prompting vows of “forceful” retaliation.
The ceasefire, which aimed to end a recent “12-day war,” was unconventionally announced by former US President Donald Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, over the weekend. Trump had heralded it as a diplomatic breakthrough, congratulating both nations for their “Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence” in ending a conflict that he claimed could have “destroyed the entire Middle East.”
However, Trump’s celebratory remarks now appear starkly premature. Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz has declared that Iran’s alleged breach “will not go unpunished,” confirming that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detected missiles launched towards Israel after the agreed ceasefire time. Defence Minister Katz has reportedly ordered “intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran,” a threat echoed by IDF Chief of Staff Major General Eyal Zamir, who stated, “we will attack with force.”
The terms of the agreement saw slight variations for each side, with Iran expected to halt hostilities hours before Israel’s scheduled ceasefire at 7:10 AM UK time. Reports indicated both nations continued heavy bombardments until the final moments, with Tehran residents describing some of the worst shelling since the conflict began. Despite Israel’s adherence to its ceasefire deadline, it quickly moved to accuse Iran of firing missiles, which its defence systems were reportedly intercepting.
The Israeli government, in an official statement, had previously affirmed its acceptance of the ceasefire, citing the achievement of its objectives, specifically neutralizing the “dual immediate existential threat” posed by Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. It also claimed to have eliminated “hundreds of Basij operatives” and several “government targets” in Tehran. Over the weekend, the US Air Force, under Trump’s directive, targeted key Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, with Fordow sustaining extensive surface damage from bunker-buster bombs. The question of Iran’s enriched uranium remains a significant concern.
On the Iranian side, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had seemingly agreed to the ceasefire via Twitter, stating that Iran had “no intention to continue our response afterwards” if Israel ceased its “illegal aggression.” Iranian state media, however, presented the ceasefire as having been “imposed” on Israel due to Tehran’s “successful” retaliatory attacks on a US military base in Doha, Qatar, claiming Trump had “begged” for peace. This contrasts with Trump’s assertion that both countries approached him simultaneously seeking an end to hostilities.
As the accusations fly and military forces are poised for renewed action, the precarious peace in the region faces its most severe test, raising fears of a rapid escalation back into full-scale conflict.
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