We begin with breaking news from the Middle East, where a deadly escalation has cast a dark shadow over a fragile ceasefire. At least 71 people have been killed in Iran following an Israeli airstrike on a prison facility, according to official Iranian reports.
The strike comes just hours into a ceasefire that was brokered to pause hostilities between Israel and Iran—a ceasefire that now appears to be unraveling before it could even take hold.
Speaking to ABC News Tuesday morning, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed sharp disapproval, saying he was “not happy with either side” after reports emerged that both Iran and Israel violated the truce announced late Monday night. Trump, who had previously taken credit for pushing forward the agreement, criticized both nations for escalating tensions instead of embracing de-escalation.
The Israeli strike targeted a high-security detention facility in Iran, but details surrounding the motive or intelligence behind the operation remain unclear. The Iranian government claims the facility held a mix of political detainees and military personnel.
Footage circulating online shows plumes of smoke and frantic rescue efforts amid collapsed concrete and twisted steel. Iranian authorities say rescue teams are still combing through the wreckage, and the death toll may rise.
This development follows a week of back-and-forth between Washington and intelligence agencies over the effectiveness of recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Some early assessments suggest that the U.S. attacks may have only delayed Iran’s nuclear capabilities by several months, rather than the years the administration initially projected. President Trump and his advisors have pushed back on those assessments, insisting the strikes inflicted long-term damage.
But now, with the ceasefire seemingly broken and civilian casualties mounting, international pressure is building for restraint. So far, neither Iran nor Israel has publicly taken responsibility for initiating this latest round of violence—each blaming the other for violating terms.
The humanitarian impact, however, is clear. With 71 lives lost in this single strike and regional tensions once again on the rise, hopes for a meaningful peace may be slipping away.
We will continue to monitor this developing story and bring you updates as they become available.
Reporting by Carl Montel.
