On Tuesday morning (24), US President Donald Trump reaffirmed the validity of the ceasefire between Israel and Iran after an exchange of attacks between the countries until at least the early hours of the 12th day of the conflict in the Middle East.
“Israel will not attack Iran. All planes will turn around and return home, while giving a friendly ‘Wave of the Plane’ to Iran. No one will get hurt, the ceasefire is in effect,” Trump said on social media.
Iranian authorities celebrate “victory” in the conflict with Israel, claiming that Tel Aviv had to “beg” the US for a ceasefire.
At the same time, Israel and Iran report that they are monitoring the enemy to respond to any aggression.
Despite Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire on Monday night, the situation remains tense. Israel and Iran continued their hostilities, with Iran denying acceptance of the agreement but promising to suspend further attacks. This uncertainty leaves the audience concerned about the potential for further conflict.
According to Iranian authorities, Israel bombed the country on Monday night (24), killing “a group of compatriots in a brutal attack”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it retaliated with the attack with the 22nd wave of missiles consisting of 14 projectiles against Israel on Tuesday morning against “military and support centers of the Zionist regime”.
In response, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) intercepted most of the projectiles, but not before they caused significant damage. Tragically, four lives were lost in the city of Beersheba. The IDF released images of a building with its facade destroyed and rescue teams working, highlighting the human cost of the conflict and invoking empathy in the audience.
The Israeli army confirmed that it attacked Iran on Monday night, raising concerns about the potential for further escalation in the conflict.
“Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck dozens of military targets in Tehran overnight, deploying more than 100 rounds of munitions. In addition, we inflicted repeated and severe damage on [military] manufacturing infrastructure in Tehran,” it said in a statement.
Iran said two leaders of the Basij, a paramilitary militia linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, were killed in the strikes on Tehran: Basij intelligence protection commander Mohammad Taqi Yousefvand and Gen. Meysam Rezvanpour, the Basij’s deputy social affairs officer.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Kartz said he had instructed the military “to respond vigorously to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire with powerful strikes,” accusing Iran of violating the ceasefire.
Trump said “both countries” had violated the deal. When announcing the terms of the agreement, Trump said Iran should halt its strikes first, giving Israel a few more hours to continue bombing Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Monday night that there was no ceasefire agreement.
“However, as long as the Israeli regime ceases its illegal aggression against the Iranian people by 4:00 a.m. Tehran time, we have no intention of continuing our response after that. The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later,” he said on social media.
Understanding the conflict
Israel accuses Iran of being close to developing a nuclear weapon, and it launched a surprise attack on the country on the 13th, expanding the war in the Middle East.
On Saturday (21), the United States, a key ally of Israel, attacked three Iranian nuclear plants: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, further escalating the conflict.
This attack, which the United States claims was a preemptive strike to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, has further strained relations between the two countries.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been accusing Iran of not fulfilling all of its obligations, despite acknowledging that it has no evidence that the country is building an atomic bomb.
Iran accuses the agency of acting “politically motivated” and directed by Western powers, such as the United States, France, and Great Britain, which have supported Israel in the war against Tehran.
In March, the United States intelligence sector reported that Iran was not building nuclear weapons, a finding that President Donald Trump himself is now questioning, further complicating the situation.
Although Israel does not accept that Tehran has nuclear weapons, various sources throughout history have indicated that the country has maintained an extensive secret nuclear program since the 1950s, having developed at least 90 atomic warheads.
Source: Agência Brasil