After a highly publicized ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump went into effect at midnight Eastern Standard Time on June 24, Iran and Israel traded attacks, accusing one another of violating the agreement. Before the ceasefire deadline, Israel carried out airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure and a high-profile nuclear scientist, and Iran fired missiles at Israeli territory, killing four and wounding scores of others.
A difficult start to the ceasefire
Shortly before the ceasefire went into effect, Iran fired two ballistic missiles at the southern Israeli city of Beersheba. Israeli missile defense intercepted one projectile, while the second struck a residential apartment building, killing four people and wounding at least 22. Following the missile strikes in Beersheba, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it shot down two Iranian missiles fired at approximately 10:30 am local time, roughly three and a half hours after the ceasefire went into effect.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz published a statement saying that he instructed the IDF to retaliate against Iran for violating the ceasefire agreement. The IDF bombed a radar station near Tehran but held off attacking further targets after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Trump.
Trump issued a strong rebuke against Israel and Iran for violating the ceasefire agreement. “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews following the exchange of strikes after the ceasefire went into effect.
Trump further criticized Israel for carrying out a wave of airstrikes before the ceasefire went into effect, saying, “Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out, and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The biggest load that we’ve seen. I’m not happy with Israel.”
Israel’s latest kinetic operations against Iran—June 24
- The Israel Air Force (IAF) carried out a strike in northern Iran that killed nuclear scientist Mohammad Reza Sedighi Saber.
- The Israeli Navy intercepted more than 15 drones fired from Iran overnight.
- The IAF attacked missile launchers in Western Iran that were “ready to be fired at Israeli territory.”
- The IDF attacked Iran’s SPND (Organization of Defense Innovation and Research) headquarters building.
- Israeli forces attacked missile production sites, chemical laboratories related to Iran’s nuclear program, and drone workshops.
- The IAF downed two Iranian drones that were approaching Israeli territory.
12 days of war
Israel and Iran have seemingly ended their most direct and intense military conflict to date. On June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion to eliminate Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and degrade the regime’s growing ballistic missile arsenal. Israeli strikes targeted nuclear sites, military infrastructure, and personnel. Iran retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones aimed at Israeli cities, causing casualties and infrastructure damage.
American forces joined the conflict on June 21 when Tomahawk missiles fired by the US Navy and US Air Force bombers struck nuclear sites at Fordow, Esfahan, and Natanz during “Operation Midnight Hammer.” Iran retaliated against American strikes by attacking the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar on June 23.
A fragile ceasefire, brokered by President Trump and Qatar, took effect on June 24, possibly ending 12 days of war. Israel and Iran have each claimed strategic success, but the truce between them remains tentative.
