JERUSALEM, JUN 24 (AFP/APP/DNA):Israel said Tuesday it has agreed to US President Donald Trump’s declaration of a ceasefire with Iran, adding that it has achieved all its objectives in the 12-day war with its arch-foe.
Hours after Trump said his ceasefire had taken effect, Israel said it intercepted two Iranian missiles, with Defence Minister Israel Katz vowing that the military would “respond forcefully”.
Iran denied launching missiles at Israel after the ceasefire announcement, and said it had “compelled” Israel to “unilaterally halt its aggression”, while stopping short of officially accepting the ceasefire plan.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had earlier said that if Israel stopped “its illegal aggression,” Tehran would have “no intention” to continue fighting.
The US leader had said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.
“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The Israeli government said: “Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the cabinet… to announce that Israel had achieved all the objectives of Operation ‘Rising Lion’ and much more.”
It added that it had removed “an immediate dual existential threat: nuclear and ballistic”.
“Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,” the statement said, while the army added that the “danger persists” despite the truce announcement.
Iran’s top security body said the Islamic republic’s forces had “compelled” Israel to “unilaterally” cease fire, adding that they remained “on high alert” to respond to “any act of aggression”.
Referring to a “divine gift”, the Supreme National Security Council said Iran’s actions against Israel led to “victory and triumph that compelled the enemy to regret, accept defeat, and unilaterally halt its aggression”.
