Just hours after the fragile fabric of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was unfurled, the first tear appeared—missile sirens pierced the stillness of northern Israel, as Iranian projectiles arced across the sky like unwelcome omens. Though intercepted by Israel’s vigilant air defenses and leaving no casualties, the message was unmistakable: the calm was but an illusion.
This opening salvo, seen by many as Iran testing the boundaries of restraint, drew a swift and thunderous response from Israel’s leadership. “Iran violated the ceasefire—and it will pay,” a senior political official said bluntly, the warning as sharp as a drawn sword.
אזעקות בצפון הארץ- טיל בודד שוגר מאיראן.
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Defense Minister Israel Katz wasted no time in responding. “I have instructed the IDF to strike with full force against regime targets and terrorist infrastructure in the heart of Tehran,” he declared, describing the violation not merely as provocation, but as a “complete breach” of the agreement announced by the U.S. president. His words—stern and unequivocal—reflected a nation not only wounded in principle but girded for renewed battle. The strikes, he said, were undertaken “in coordination with the Prime Minister” and formed a continuation of Israel’s recent operations.
The IDF, too, signaled that the pause in hostilities was not a moment of sleep but a vigilant watch. Brig. Gen. Efi Defrain, the military’s spokesperson, announced that Operation Rising Lion had met all its initial objectives, but emphasized that Israel’s sword remained unsheathed. “The Chief of Staff has directed that the IDF maintain maximum alertness and readiness for a powerful response to any further violations,” he said. “At this very moment, the Air Force stands ready to strike with precision and speed.”
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir echoed the gravity of the moment in a situation assessment, stating plainly: “In light of the grave violation of the ceasefire by the Iranian regime, we will strike with force.”
And so, as the dust settles and the ink on the ceasefire fades beneath the weight of rising tension, the specter of escalation returns—its presence not yet sealed, but no longer veiled.
