Iranian missile hits Israeli hospital in Beersheba, injuring 270+. Israel vows retaliation amid rising tensions.
Dozens hurt as Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba
is hit amid intensifying Iran-Israel conflict
Beersheba, Israel — In a dramatic escalation of
hostilities, Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles on Wednesday, striking
several Israeli cities and directly hitting the Soroka Medical Center in
Beersheba. The midday attack left more than 270 people injured, including
patients, medical staff, and civilians, according to Israeli health officials.
The missile, which struck the hospital’s older
surgical wing, caused structural damage but narrowly avoided mass casualties
due to a precautionary evacuation that had occurred just hours before.
Authorities confirmed that the missile was part of a larger barrage targeting
Israeli urban and military infrastructure across Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and
Holon.
Officials stated that Israel’s Iron Dome
intercepted the majority of incoming threats, but several ballistic missiles
with suspected cluster munitions evaded defenses and detonated over populated
zones. Emergency services described scenes of panic, with glass shrapnel and
secondary explosions compounding the injuries.
Defense Minister Israel Katz immediately accused
Tehran of committing a war crime, stating: “Iran has attacked a hospital. This
is a red line, and they will face the consequences.” Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu vowed a swift and overwhelming response, suggesting that Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was now a "legitimate target."
In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes on
Iran’s Natanz and Arak nuclear facilities. Satellite images released by the IDF
showed significant structural damage, though Iranian officials claimed there
were no radiation leaks or casualties.
The use of cluster munitions, banned by many
international treaties, has intensified global condemnation. The European Union
and the United Nations have called for an immediate ceasefire, while Washington
has reportedly urged restraint behind closed doors.
Medical teams at Soroka worked overnight to
stabilize patients, many of whom suffered lacerations, blunt force trauma, and
burns. Hospital spokesperson Dr. Reut Ashkenazi confirmed that critical
departments had been moved to underground shelters in recent days amid
escalating threats.
“We were lucky,” she said. “Had this strike
happened before evacuation, the death toll would have been catastrophic.”
Civil defense authorities have since issued
warnings to avoid unexploded ordnance and suspended public transportation in
affected zones. Schools and businesses across southern Israel remained closed
Thursday as military alerts continued.
The strike on a medical facility, rare even in this
volatile region, has reignited debates about proportionality and civilian
protection in modern warfare. Analysts say the choice of Soroka—located in
Israel’s desert south and far from typical military targets—marks a dangerous
shift in strategy.
As the region braces for further escalation, world
leaders have expressed alarm. French President Emmanuel Macron called the
hospital strike “inhumane and unacceptable,” while UN Secretary-General António
Guterres demanded that medical neutrality be respected.
Thousands gathered in Beersheba’s central plaza
late Wednesday in a candlelight vigil, holding signs that read, “Hospitals Are
Not Targets.”
.jpg)
COMMENTS