Donald Trump’s ceasefire ‘deal’ brings death and betrayal

An Iranian missile that struck a building in southern Israel killed five people and left at least 20 wounded in the minutes leading up to a tentative ceasefire ­between the two nations.

Israeli soldiers from the search and rescue unit work amid the rubble of residential buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike that killed several people in Beersheva on Tuesday. Picture: AP

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An Iranian missile that struck a building in southern Israel killed five people and left at least 20 wounded in the minutes leading up to a tentative ceasefire ­between the two nations.

Rescue teams climbed through the shattered shell of an apartment block in the city of Beersheva on Tuesday after it was hit just before the ceasefire deadline of 7am. Police Commander Haim Bublil said officers had gone searching “room to room” for anyone trapped in the wreckage.

The five people were killed when the missile struck a wall near a safe room where they were sheltering. Their bodies were found outside the shelter, authorities said, with one line of inquiry being that they were thrown from the room by the force of the blast.

The impact capped off two hours of successive missile barrages launched against Israel in six waves beginning around 5am.

Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said Iran later violated the ceasefire agreement by launching a further two ­missiles that were intercepted en route to Israel’s north. Iranian news media denied the claim.

“In light of the grave ­violation of the ceasefire by the ­Iranian ­regime, we will strike with force,” General Zamir said.

On the Tel Aviv boardwalk, a lengthy promenade traversing beaches usually populated with volleyball players and outdoor gym enthusiasts, the ceasefire ­violation came as no surprise.

“You just cannot trust the Iranians,” said Stan Kalinko, an Australian visiting Tel Aviv with his wife, Venetia. “They say one thing, they always do something else. So I’m not surprised at the breach of the ceasefire and they need to be hammered and hammered and hammered into total submission.”

Ms Kalinko said the ceasefire breach was a significant disappointment. “Our flight was cancelled,” she said. “We have just been living from packing, unpacking, going, stop, go, stop, go, sleep deprivation. You sort of just lose control. It’s really very uncertain.”

The IDF ramped up its own ­attacks on Iran ahead of the ceasefire agreement taking hold, saying it had struck the headquarters of a nuclear research ­facility and weapons production sites in the capital, Tehran, as well as ballistic missile launchers in the west of the country that were primed for attack.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had agreed to the terms of a ceasefire after removing the “dual existential threat” of Iran’s nuclear program and its stockpile of ballistic weaponry.

It also revealed that a “senior nuclear scientist” had ­recently been assassinated, without providing details. Despite the fragile truce, ­Israel’s Homefront Command didn’t immediately update its guidelines on social restrictions that have been in place for schools, businesses and gatherings over the past 12 days of the war.

An IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said there would be no change for the moment, adding: “There is still a danger.”

However, the Israel Airports Authority said it was preparing for a gradual return of operations and a phased reopening of the country’s airspace, in line with defence authorisation.

Tourists have increasingly tried to leave the country via a land crossing with Jordan, via Egypt to the south, or on ships to Cyprus.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid used the ceasefire to call for an end to the fighting in Gaza, arguing that an opportunity was now ­available to cut a deal and return the 50 hostages who remain in captivity.

“The campaign against Iran ended with a clear security achievement, which would not have been possible if Israel were not a democratic, strong, and ­united state,” Mr Lapid said on ­social media.

“And now is the time to ­complete the mission: Return all the hostages, end the war in Gaza, and stop once and for all the coup that threatens to make ­Israel weak, divided, and ­vulnerable.”