Iran says it doubts ceasefire with Israel, warns of retaliation if strikes resume

Iran has expressed skepticism over the durability of the tentative US-brokered ceasefire with Israel, warning it will respond forcefully to any renewed attacks.

“We have serious doubts about the enemy’s commitment to its obligations, including the ceasefire,” Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, said, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. “We are prepared to deliver a firm response if aggression is repeated.”

Mousavi made the remarks during a phone call on Sunday with Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, discussing the fragile truce that began last Tuesday.

Tensions surged following a surprise Israeli airstrike on June 13 that killed several senior Iranian military and nuclear officials, including Mousavi’s predecessor. The strike rattled global markets and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.

In addition to targeting military and nuclear sites, the strikes also hit civilian areas in Tehran and other cities. The US, under President Donald Trump’s administration, later joined the offensive, bombing three major nuclear facilities—actions Trump claimed had "obliterated" Iran’s atomic infrastructure.

Despite the ceasefire officially holding, both Iran and Israel have accused each other of violating the terms. Iran reports that 627 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, while Israel says 28 of its citizens have died and over 1,300 have been injured in Iranian strikes.