'Volatile and unstable'

Israel, Iran enter shaky ceasefire

Within hours of being declared, the short-lived truce appears to be on the rocks.

By Elena Giordano

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears fragile just hours after being declared, with Israel vowing to strike Tehran after claims it already violated the truce.

On Monday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Israel and Iran had agreed to stop exchanging fire in what he dubbed the “12 Day War." Early Tuesday, he declared the ceasefire was in effect, warning "Please do not violate it!”

Israel's military detected an Iranian barrage Tuesday morning, according to Israeli media, though the missiles appear to have been intercepted, with no injuries reported. Tehran denied reports it fired a missile at Israel after the ceasefire began.

"In light of the severe violation of the ceasefire carried out by the Iranian regime, we will respond with force," the Israel Defense Force's chief of general staff said, with Defense Minister Israel Katz saying he had ordered "intense strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran."

Later on Tuesday, a visibly frustrated Trump condemned Israel and Iran for violating a ceasefire that he had heralded one day earlier.

“We have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn before departing to meet with NATO allies in the Netherlands.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israel said it had agreed to the ceasefire proposed by Trump, claiming it had "achieved all the objectives" of its military campaign against Iran. Iran's foreign minister also indicated Tehran had agreed to the Trump plan, with Iran's top security body later confirming the truce, issuing a statement on the “national decision to impose the cessation of war."

Trump's announcement that the ceasefire was in place came just after a flurry of attacks between Iran and Israel. Tehran launched multiple missiles that killed four people in Beersheba, according to Israel’s ambulance service, while Israel carried out a pre-dawn wave of airstrikes on targets across Iran.

Earlier this month, Israel launched military strikes at Iran, seeking to wipe out its nuclear program and top military brass. Trump, who backed Israel, brought the U.S. directly into the war on Saturday, bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. In response, Iran attacked a U.S. air base in Qatar on Monday, just hours before Trump declared the ceasefire.

'Volatile and unstable'

Speaking at the Italian Senate on Tuesday morning ahead of traveling to Brussels for Thursday's leaders' summit, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: "This morning, the situation was unfolding exactly as we had hoped and worked toward. However, things have since become more complicated.

"Iran violated the ceasefire, and Israel may respond to this breach — something we hope will be measured and proportionate. Following the violation, Iran reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire, which could indicate internal divisions within the Iranian landscape that we must take into account," Meloni said.

"The situation, as we can see, remains volatile and unstable," French President Emmanuel Macron said.

"I think it's a very good thing that President Trump has called for a ceasefire. Everyone must do everything in their power to stop the fighting, resume talks and restore stability to the region."

In a statement released Tuesday morning before the deal appeared to break down, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the ceasefire "an important step towards restoring stability" in the region and "must be our collective priority." She added: "We call on Iran to engage seriously in a credible diplomatic process. Because the negotiating table remains the only viable path forward."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said earlier on Tuesday that he welcomed Trump's call for a ceasefire, describing it as "a very positive development."