Israel says it agreed to bilateral ceasefire with Iran, will ‘respond forcefully’ to any violation

Israel confirms that it has agreed to the US proposal for a bilateral ceasefire with Iran, but will “respond forcefully” to any violations of the truce.

The Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement that the premier met with the cabinet, the defense minister, the IDF chief of staff and the head of the Mossad “to report that Israel had achieved all of the objectives of Operation Rising Lion, and much more.”

“Israel has removed a dual immediate existential threat – both in the nuclear and ballistic missile fields,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, “the IDF achieved full air control over Tehran’s skies, inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets.”

The statement also announces for the first time that another senior nuclear scientist was killed.

“Even in the past day, the IDF dealt major blows to regime targets in the heart of Tehran, eliminated hundreds of Basij operatives, the regime’s oppression apparatus, and assassinated another senior nuclear scientist,” the statement reads.

“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defense and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” the statement reads.

“In light of the achievement of the operation’s objectives, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president’s proposal for a bilateral ceasefire,” the PMO says, adding that Israel “will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire.”

US President Donald Trump had earlier said that a ceasefire would take effect, shortly after at least four people were killed when an Iranian ballistic missile hit a residential building in Beersheba.