Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had been secured, missile sirens blared across Israeli cities as Iran launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles, further escalating the 12-day-old conflict.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the missile attack and said its air defense systems were actively intercepting incoming threats. A missile struck a building in Beersheba, but no injuries were immediately reported. Emergency responders from Magen David Adom rushed to the scene to assess the situation.

The attack came shortly after Iran declared a conditional halt to military operations, effective 4 a.m. local time, provided Israel also ceased its actions. This directly contradicted President Trump’s statement on Truth Social, where he claimed that both Iran and Israel had approached him “almost simultaneously” asking for peace.

However, Iran swiftly denied receiving any formal ceasefire proposal from the US and reiterated that Israel had initiated the hostilities. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran would resume operations if Israeli offensives continued. Israel has not officially commented on Trump’s announcement.

The conflict began after Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion”, targeting key Iranian military and nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran has fired multiple missile barrages at Israeli territory. The United States later joined the conflict, striking Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, escalating tensions across the region.

So far, around 400 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel.

The missile exchange underscores the fragile nature of any ceasefire in the absence of formal, verified agreements between the parties involved.