Israel accuses Iran of violating ceasefire, says it will respond ‘forcefully’

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday accused the Iranian military of violating the ceasefire that had come into force only hours before.

Tel Aviv will “respond with force” in retaliation to the “severe violation of the ceasefire carried out by the Iranian regime”, said Israeli Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir.

However, Iranian state-run Press TV quoted the country’s armed forces as having denied that it had launched fresh missile attacks on Israel.

United States President Donald Trump said that both Israel and Iran violated the terms of a ceasefire, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking to reporters at the White House before heading to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in The Hague, Trump said: “They violated it but Israel violated it too.”

“I am not happy with Israel,” he added.

In a social media post, Trump urged Israel not to drop bombs on Iran.

“Israel. Do not drop those bombs,” he said. “If you do it is a major violation.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that he had ordered the military “to respond forcefully to Iran’s violation of the ceasefire by launching powerful strikes against regime targets in the heart of Tehran”, AFP reported.

The Israeli forces at 10.35 am local time said that sirens were being sounded in northern Israel “due to missile fire” from Iran.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said on Tuesday that its armed forces had compelled Israel to...

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