A hospital in the Israeli town of Beersheba has been hit by an Iranian missile on the seventh day of the conflict between the two countries. Iran said the strike had targeted a military site close to the hospital, not the facility itself. At least 89 people were injured in the overnight attacks - which hit locations across Israel - said Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed retaliation and said in a post on X that Israel would "exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran". Meanwhile, Israel's military said it had targeted Iran's nuclear sites including the "inactive" Arak heavy water reactor and Natanz facility. The conflict began on13 June, when Israel launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sitesand killed several top generals and nuclear scientists. Israel's deputy foreign affairs minister said Iran's hit on the Soroka Medical Centre was "deliberate" and "criminal". In a post on X, Sharren Haskel said the site that was the main medical centre for Israel's entire Negev region. After visiting Soroka hopsital on Thursday, Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said Iran's supreme leader "can no longer be allowed to exist". "Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed - he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals," he told reporters. BBC correspondents in the area described the scale of the damage as extensive, with debris and plumes of smoke floating through the air long after the blast. Several wards were completely destroyed as fire spread through one of the buildings, causing windows to smash and ceilings to collapse, hospital authorities said. Around 200 patients will be transferred to other hospitals centres, Prof Shlomi Codish, chief executive of the Soroka said. "At the moment we don't know if buildings or other wards might collapse," he added. On Thursday morning, an Iranian ballistic missile struck the business district of Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv - causing a large sheet of glass to fall several floors from a skyscraper and part of an electrical pylon to crash to the ground. About 20 people are believed to have been injured by the blast in the area, authorities have said. The Israeli military said it told people living in the cities of Iranian cities Arak and Khondab, which are near the reactor, to leave the area "as soon as possible," in a post on X, prior to the attack. The nuclear facilities that were attacked include a partially-built heavy-water research reactor. Heavy-water reactors produce plutonium, which - like enriched uranium - can be used to make the core of an atom bomb. Iranian media reported two projectiles hitting an area near the facility. There were no reports of radiation threats. In a separate announcement, Israel's military said it also struck a site in the area of Natanz, which it said contains "unique components and equipment used to develop nuclear weapons". Israel has alleged Iran has recently "taken steps to weaponise" its enriched uranium stockpile, which can be used for power plants or nuclear bombs. Iranhas always claimedthat its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful. Iran's armed forces said their response to the Israeli attack will have "no limits." It has lodged a complaint with the UN nuclear watchdog, accusing Israel of "continuing its aggression and actions contrary to international laws that prohibit attacks on nuclear facilities," Iranian state media reported. The latest attacks come at a critical time, as President Trump considers the possibility of direct American involvement in Israel's campaign. Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned the US that Tehran will have "no other option but to use its tools to teach aggressors a lesson" if it intervenes in support of Israel. The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected Trump's calls to surrender, and Iran has threatened to strike American military interests in the Middle East in response. Trump, so far, has given no clear indication of his next move. According to the BBC's partner CBS, he has approved plans to attack Iran but has held off on a final decision about striking the country. On Wednesday, Trump said, "I may do it, I may not do it", when asked a question aboutUS involvementin Iran. Additional reporting by Tom Bennett in Jerusalem
Israeli hospital hit by Iranian missile strike
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"Missile Strike Hits Israeli Hospital Amid Rising Tensions with Iran"
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TruthLens AI Summary
A hospital in Beersheba, Israel, was struck by an Iranian missile amidst escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran. The missile hit the Soroka Medical Centre, which serves as a crucial healthcare facility for the Negev region. Iran claimed that the strike aimed at a military target nearby rather than the hospital itself. The attack resulted in at least 89 injuries, as reported by Israel's emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA). In response to the missile strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against Iran, stating that Israel would hold the Iranian leadership accountable for their actions. Meanwhile, Israel's military launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, including the Arak heavy water reactor and Natanz facility, asserting that these facilities had been involved in efforts to develop nuclear weapons. The tensions between the two nations intensified after Israel's initial strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June, which resulted in the deaths of key Iranian military figures and scientists.
The aftermath of the missile strike on the Soroka Medical Centre was devastating, with significant damage reported to the hospital, including destroyed wards and widespread debris. Hospital officials indicated that around 200 patients would need to be transferred to other medical facilities due to safety concerns regarding potential further collapses. Concurrently, an Iranian missile also targeted the business district of Ramat Gan, resulting in additional injuries and damage to infrastructure. The Israeli military took precautionary measures, advising residents in Iranian cities near nuclear facilities to evacuate. Iran's armed forces have threatened a robust response to Israeli attacks, warning of dire consequences if the United States intervenes on Israel's behalf. The situation remains precarious, with both nations poised for further military actions, and U.S. President Trump's deliberations about potential involvement adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding crisis.
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