Uncertainty hangs over the status of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran

by Alex Leff

Israel and Iran said they agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, following President Trump's announcement that the warring countries had agreed to stop fighting.

But the future of such a ceasefire came under immediate question, as reports persisted Tuesday morning of further airstrikes in Israel.

Soon after those reports, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced he had ordered the Israeli military to "respond forcefully" to what he labeled Iranian airstrikes.

Iran denied firing a missile in violation of the ceasefire, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.

Iran's state media reported its agreement to the ceasefire earlier Tuesday, and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office has followed with a statement that it also agreed.

The tenuous ceasefire comes more than a week and a half after Israel launched its attack on Iran, leading to deadly exchanges of missile and drone barrages between them and threatening to draw the Middle East — and the United States — into wider war.

It comes a few days after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.

"In light of the operation's objectives being achieved, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

Before the Israeli statement, Trump wrote on social media in all caps: "The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!"

Earlier in the morning, Iran's state TV said Tehran had "imposed" a ceasefire on the "Zionist enemy." Iran's government does not officially recognize Israel as a state.

Israel and Iran exchanged attacks up to the final moments when the ceasefire was due to begin, causing casualties, according to Iranian state media and Israeli emergency services.

The final death toll from the war is not immediately clear. Over the weekend, Iran's Health Ministry said 430 civilians had been killed by Israel's strikes in Iran.

An independent activist group called the Human Rights Activists News Agency counted 974 total fatalities, as it also included 268 Iranian military personnel.

Israel's previous death toll was 24, according to the Israeli government, but recent barrages have caused new fatalities.

On Monday, Trump first said Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that could lead to an end to the war between the two countries.

Soon afterward, Vice President Vance, speaking on Fox News, said Trump wanted to work on a "long-term settlement" between Iran and Israel.

"I think the Iranians are at a place where they don't want to keep on fighting," Vance said in the interview.

Earlier Monday, Iran's state-run news agency Tasnim said that Tehran launched missile attacks on U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq.

The U.S. Central Command said the U.S. and Qatari forces successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles targeting the air base.

Trump said on social media that U.S. officials had been given advance notice by Iran of the strikes.

NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi contributed to this report from Tel Aviv, Israel.