DAY 627 OF THE WAR: Israel-Iran 12-Day War Ends; Four Killed in Missile Strike on Beersheva Apartment; Trump Pressured Netanyahu to Abort Tehran Attack
Tel Aviv Diary, June 24, 2025
This afternoon, for the first time since the war with Iran began, I stepped beyond the confines of our neighborhood—walking with my son further from home than I’ve dared in twelve days. Until now, every outing with our dog had been shadowed by the constant tension of war: the weight of my phone a constant reminder of looming danger, each step measured against the distance to the nearest shelter, every vibration a possible ballistic missile alert.
But today, I walked without the familiar knot of dread in my chest—without checking for launch notifications, without silently charting emergency routes. For a brief moment, the war felt just a little farther away.
Tonight, for the first time in days, I’ll slip into bed without the ritual that has defined each night since the war with Iran began: placing my laptop bag within arm’s reach. Not for the machine, but for something far more precious and irreplaceable—my data, my digital life—documents, memories, everything that lives behind a password. It’s all backed up, yes, but never feels truly secure it’s with me during those long hours in the shelter. Tonight, for once, I won’t need to be ready to grab it and run when the sirens wail.
The relief isn't mine alone—it’s sweeping across the entire country like a collective exhale. You can feel it in the air, see it in the way people walk with just a little more ease. A friend of mine, whose daughter has been stranded in Athens—one of many Israelis scattered across foreign airports in recent days—finally knows she’s coming home.
The news broke last night, just as I was preparing for bed: President Trump had announced a ceasefire—between Israel and Iran. The initial reports were muddled, leaving it unclear whether the ceasefire would take effect in six hours or twelve. Still, both countries had reportedly agreed.
Trump dubbed the conflict the “12-Day War,”—and surprisingly—I believe the name may actually stick. At first, I wasn’t sure if the announcement was real. But as additional alerts came in from multiple sources, the picture became clearer.
In the hours that followed, the Israeli Security Cabinet continued to meet to discuss the development. A few ministers insisted that Israel should continue the campaign until the Iranian regime was brought down. It’s a nice thought—and one I’ve supported from the beginning. Regime change would be a great outcome. However, as a former Israeli Air Force commander reminded viewers on television today, no regime has ever been toppled by air power alone. There was no vote since Netanyahu had already decided to accept the proposal.
Once it became clear that the ceasefire announcement was genuine, I finally allowed myself to go to sleep—fully expecting to be woken up in the middle of the night. There had been a few quiet nights during the war, but I was certain this wouldn’t be one of them. In nearly every recent conflict with Hamas or other adversaries, the moments just before a ceasefire are often the most volatile. The enemy typically tries to fire off a final volley—and this time was no different.
At 5 a.m., a phone notification warned of an imminent missile strike in our area. We gathered ourselves, bleary-eyed, and headed back down to the shelter. The alerts began in the north, then the south, and finally reached our area. After a while, the all-clear came, and we returned upstairs—only to be sent back down two minutes later by another warning. It happened once more, but that time we stayed put in the shelter waiting. We looked at our watches—it was just 30 minutes until 7 a.m. (the time the ceasefire was scheduled to begin)—With just half an hour until 7 a.m., we knew another round was likely before then. Sure enough, one more barrage came before the ceasefire took effect.
Iran managed to fire just twelve missiles in total—spread across six separate barrages—but that was enough to keep much of the country in shelters for two tense hours between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.
After the final all-clear sounded, at 7:06 a.m., we left the shelter. My dog had been waiting patiently, and it was time for his morning walk. I took him out, staying close to home in case we needed to rush back. We paced back and forth across a two-block radius, just to be safe.
And sure enough, it wasn’t long before another missile was launched—this time to the North, targeting the Sharon region, where cities like Hadera are located. The missile was intercepted, and thankfully, it appeared to mark the end of the day’s hostilities.
Regrettably, in the final hours of the war, the human cost once again broke through the veil of statistics. Of the twelve missiles launched by Iran in that early morning barrage, one struck an apartment building in Be’er Sheva. The impact caused catastrophic damage and tragically claimed the lives of four people, among them, one soldier—the only soldier killed during the Iran-Israel war. The four lives lost in this devastating attack were: Cpl. Eitan Zacks (18), Noa Boguslavsky (18), Michal Zacks (50), Naomi Shaanan (73).
All four victims had taken shelter in the building’s safe rooms, typically considered the most secure option outside of underground shelters. These safe rooms are designed to withstand almost any impact—except a direct hit. Heartbreakingly, this missile struck the safe room head-on.
This incident raised the death toll from Iranian missile strikes during the twelve-day war to 29.
In the final hours before the ceasefire was took effect, the Israeli Air Force launched a final wave of airstrikes, targeting 100 sites in and around Tehran in a last show of force.
It appeared the conflict had reached its end. But at 10:30 a.m., Iran launched two additional missiles toward northern Israel. Both were successfully intercepted, yet their launch immediately raised concerns that Tehran had violated not only the terms but also the spirit of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, known for his ultra-bellicose, hardline rhetoric, responded swiftly, declaring, “We’re going to attack Tehran and show them what we’re made of.” Several far-right ministers followed suit, issuing threats on social media. Even IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir signaled that a major bombing campaign on Tehran was imminent in response to the renewed missile fire.
Earlier this morning, President Trump had posted on Truth Social that both Israel and Iran had violated the ceasefire. From his perspective, even if the official start time was set for 7:00 a.m., or potentially later depending on how his message was interpreted—all hostilities should have ceased the moment he announced the truce.
President Trump was visibly irritated by the day’s developments—particularly in light of Israel’s aggressive rhetoric.
In response, he issued a very a pointed public statement, urging Israel to stand down and refrain from carrying out its planned retaliatory strike. Trump wrote:
ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Trump then personally called Netanyahu, delivering a clear and unequivocal message: Israel should not proceed with a major bombing of Tehran. After the call, Trump returned to social media, once again posting:
ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly “Plane Wave” to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Ultimately, Israel carried out a limited strike, targeting an old radar station on the outskirts of Tehran—a largely symbolic response to the earlier missile launches. The Iranian attack that prompted this response was intercepted by the Arrow defense system and caused no damage.
The central question now is what comes next. Can a viable agreement be reached with Iran to prevent the reconstruction of its nuclear program? And what about its surface-to-surface missile capabilities—will a deal address those as well? These are critical issues, and it's uncertain whether President Trump has the patience—or political will—to negotiate a comprehensive accord. At the same ti/me, it’s not clear that Iran is in a position to refuse him at this point.
Much remains unresolved. While the war has set Iran’s programs back by several months—possibly even years—those gains risk fading quickly without a meaningful political agreement. Without a lasting diplomatic outcome, the war just fought may ultimately be for naught.
Will Iran finally agree to halt uranium enrichment? One can only hope. As for curbing missile production—the answer remains far from clear.
A JUSTIFIED EXPENSE
The war has provided long-awaited clarity on a key question in Israel’s defense strategy: is our investment in missile defense truly worth it? From the outset, some have questioned whether it makes sense to fire costly interceptors at relatively inexpensive enemy missiles. Today, that question seems almost absurd. Yes, we are launching highly advanced—and expensive—interceptors against far cheaper projectiles. That’s true not only in the case of Hamas rockets from Gaza but also with Iranian missiles; in both instances, our interceptors cost significantly more than the incoming threats.
However, that’s the wrong comparison. The real question is: what is the cost of not intercepting those missiles? During this conflict, Israel intercepted approximately 90% of the missiles fired. Just think—Had ten times as many reached their targets—striking Tel Aviv and surrounding areas—the scale of destruction and loss of life would have been catastrophic. In that light, the Arrow missile system and other layers of Israel’s defense architecture have proven to be among the most critical and worthwhile investments the country has made.
Another longstanding question in Israel’s defense strategy is whether manned aircraft are still essential in an era increasingly dominated by missiles and drones. This war has helped clarify that debate as well.
While there's likely room to expand the use of drones and reduce reliance on piloted aircraft, the conflict has shown that manned aircraft still offer critical capabilities that missiles alone cannot match. Precision strikes, real-time decision-making, and mission adaptability remain firmly in the domain of human pilots.
HOME FRONT COMMAND LIFTS FINAL RESTRICTIONS
Tonight, Israel’s Home Front Command lifted all remaining restrictions, clearing the way for the economy to return to full operation as early as tomorrow.
AIR TRAVEL RESUMES AS ISRAEL REOPENS
Ben Gurion Airport is now shifting to 24/7 operations in an urgent effort to repatriate Israelis stranded abroad and to facilitate departures for both Israeli citizens and foreign nationals. El Al has introduced fixed, one-way fares from multiple international destinations—ranging from $100 out of Larnaca to $650 from New York. These special rates will remain in effect through the end of June.
By next week, airline activity is expected to return to normal. That includes Israeli carriers, as well as several international airlines—among them Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, a Chinese carrier, and two smaller Greek airlines— all of which are expected to resume operations at Ben Gurion Airport beginning tonight or tomorrow.
NETANYAHU WEIGHS SURPRISE ELECTIONS
Reports have emerged that Prime Minister Netanyahu is weighing the possibility of calling surprise elections. I’ll explore this development in more detail in future updates.
ALL EYES BACK ON GAZA AND GETTING BACK OUR HOSTAGES
With the Iran-Israel war now—hopefully—behind us, the nation’s full focus has returned to Gaza. At the heart of that focus are the 50 remaining hostages, who were abducted 627 days ago and whose fate continues to weigh heavily on the nation’s conscience.
Reports today indicate heavy fighting in the Strip, though confirmed details remain scarce. Complications also persist in the distribution of humanitarian aid, particularly food. Whether the Gaza war can be brought to an end in the near future remains uncertain. Politically, this may be the most opportune moment for Prime Minister Netanyahu to pursue a resolution—but the coming days will reveal whether that possibility takes shape.
ISRAELTECH INTERVIEW
As part of our ongoing collaboration with IsraelTech, we present this week’s interview:“Shocking VC Revelations: Inside the Rise of a Tech Empire with Asaf Horesh – Vintage Investment Partners”
What keeps Israeli tech ahead of the curve? What is driving its continued success? To explore these questions, we sat down with Asaf Horesh, Managing Partner at Vintage Investment Partners, who offered an inside look at the forces shaping Israel’s venture capital landscape.
From his time at Wharton and BCG to leading at Vintage, Asaf shares:
How Israeli tech is bouncing back after October 7th.
Why resilience defines Israeli startups—and what global investors think about it.
Vintage’s unique approach to investing, covering everything from early-stage startups to new trends like climate tech.
He spoke about championing crypto as early as 2017—long before it gained mainstream traction—and shared how Vintage supports founders at every stage of their journey.
View and excerpt of the interview below. Watch the full video here.
BUSINESS
Waltz
Israeli real estate technology company Waltz has secured $25 million in debt financing led by Stepstone Capital to fuel its expansion into Latin America. The company, which operates a digital platform enabling foreign investors to purchase U.S. residential real estate, will use the funding to offer up to $1 billion in loans and formally launch in key markets including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. This latest round brings Waltz's total funding to $50 million since its founding, with previous backing from TLV Partners, Aleph, and over 40 private investors.
Since launching a year ago, Waltz has processed over $300 million in financing requests through its comprehensive digital solution that allows non-U.S. residents to remotely establish business entities, secure preliminary mortgage approval for up to 70% of property values, and complete transactions without requiring U.S. credit history. The Tel Aviv-based company, led by CEO Yuval Golan, partners with financial institutions including Synctera, Visa, Airwallex, and Regent Bank, while maintaining relationships with major players like BlackRock and Apollo. The Latin American expansion follows strong investor demand from the region, where residents invest billions annually in U.S. residential properties, particularly new developments.
ForSight Robotics
Israeli medtech startup ForSight Robotics has raised $125 million in a Series-B funding round led by Eclipse to further develop its groundbreaking ORYOM platform—a robotic system designed to perform cataract surgeries and treat other common eye diseases with precision and efficiency. Founded in 2020 by Prof. Moshe Shoham, Dr. Daniel Glozman, and Dr. Joseph Nathan, the company has now raised a total of $195 million and employs 110 people in Israel. The funds will accelerate the company’s push toward its first human clinical trials, expected later this year, and support its U.S. regulatory and commercial launch. Based in Yokneam Illit, ForSight plans to relocate to Caesarea as it scales operations.
The round drew participation from major investors including a strategic corporate partner, India’s Adani Group, Reiya Ventures, and surgical robotics pioneer Dr. Fred Moll, who now sits on the board. Despite challenges such as the war in Israel and ongoing geopolitical instability, CEO Dr. Joseph Nathan emphasized the significance of securing backing from top Silicon Valley funds. “We’ve faced COVID, economic crises, and now war. Still, we secured backing from some of the world’s leading investors,” Nathan told Calcalist.
Nathan added that the investment was not tied to strategic milestones, ensuring the funds would be fully dedicated to advancing the company’s development. The ORYOM platform, Nathan explained, allows surgeons to guide robotic systems from a console, reducing physical strain and increasing precision—addressing the high rate of spinal injuries among ophthalmic surgeons while enhancing patient care.
ForSight aims to address the global vision crisis, where over one billion people suffer from preventable vision loss, and a declining number of ophthalmologists cannot meet rising demand. Cataracts, one of the leading causes of blindness, affect more than 600 million people worldwide, yet only a fraction receive surgical treatment. ORYOM leverages AI, advanced computer vision, and micromechanics to deliver consistently precise and minimally invasive procedures. With a world-class advisory board including pioneers from Intuitive Surgical and MAKO Surgical, ForSight positions itself to be the leader in robotic eye surgery—a field CEO Nathan describes as the next frontier in medical robotics. “We are reengineering eye surgery,” he said. “This market is massive and underserved, and we are uniquely positioned to transform it.”
Very accurate and detailed! Thank you!