- Trump, who, at the beginning of the conflict, said the United States would not join the war on the side of Israel, later reneged on his promise and bombed Iran’s nuclear programme sites on Saturday. A development that sparked widespread condemnation
After twelve days of bombing and shelling each other, the world heaved a heavy sigh of relief after President Donald Trump announced a permanent ceasefire between Iran and Israel on Tuesday, bringing an end to a hostility that brought the world to the brink of another world war. But the enthusiasm and confidence with which Trump announced the ceasefire quickly gave way to exasperation and frustration after the Israelis violated it.
Trump, who, at the beginning of the conflict, said the United States would not join the war on the side of Israel, later reneged on his promise and bombed Iran’s nuclear programme sites on Saturday. A development that sparked widespread condemnation. But Trump said the bombing of Iran’s nuclear weapons site was aimed at ending the protracted war and bringing peace to the region.
In his bid to keep to his promise of ending wars around the world, Trump announced the armistice late on Monday. But many were wary of his effort and doubted his ability to put an end to a war that involved Israel with a direct order. It did not take long for these doubts to manifest as the warring parties failed to acknowledge the ceasefire in the early hours as fighting continued hours after the announcement of the peace deal.
Ceasefire violation: Israel, Iran trade blame.
Within hours of agreeing to the ceasefire deal brokered by Trump, Israel launched new strikes at Iran, which it accused of breaking the peace accord.
The IDF said it sounded sirens in northern Israel “due to missile fire from Iran” around 3:30 a.m. ET. Israel and Iran earlier launched strikes at each other shortly before acknowledging the beginning of a ceasefire, but an Israeli official told the Associated Press that two more missiles were detected and intercepted hours after the start of the ceasefire.
Iranian state media reports that Iran’s armed forces denied Israel’s claims that it fired fresh missiles at Israel after the ceasefire began and accused Israel of its own ceasefire violations, alleging three strikes across Iran earlier in the morning after the ceasefire had begun.
Iranian state media claimed, citing unnamed sources, that Israel’s allegation of a ceasefire violation was a “pretext” to engage in further aggression. The report also reiterated Iranian threats that any breaches of the ceasefire by Israel or the U.S. would be met with “stronger retaliation.”
Trump beseeched Israel
Trump had earlier appealed to Israel not to bomb Iran and violate the ceasefire.
“They don’t know what they are doing” – Livid Trump blasts Israel and Iran for ceasefire violation.
Hours after posting on his Truth social media expressing confidence that Israel would shelve its planned military campaign to bomb Iran and not violate the ceasefire in the process, Israel went ahead with the campaign.
In an interview shortly after Israel bombed Iran, a furious Trump did not hold back in voice his anger, “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*ck they’re doing.”
“I gotta get Israel to calm down now,” Trump said, referencing the Israeli attack against Iran this morning. “I don’t like the fact that Israel went out on a mission this morning and I am going to see if I can stop it.”
“I’m really unhappy” with Israel, Trump says. He says he is also unhappy with Iran, but keeps emphasising Israel’s role.
Final thoughts
Anyone who has followed the conflict in the Middle East dispassionately and with an open mind can tell which of the two warring countries violated the truce. Israel has repeatedly acted in a manner that blatantly violates international law without punishment.
Their ability to get away with these atrocities, as seen in Gaza, has further emboldened them to act recklessly, which led to the unprovoked attack on Iran on July 13. This continued act of impunity without being punished spurred them to break the ceasefire.
For the US, it seems Israel always gets what it wants, no matter how unconscionable and abhorrent it is. One can only hope Trump will put his foot down this time around and force Israel to accept the ceasefire and end the war. One can only hope that the ceasefire is genuine and not another ruse to weaken the resolve and defences of the Iranians before striking them again.