Beersheba, Israel – An Iranian missile struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel, on Thursday, injuring civilians and causing extensive damage to the hospital compound. The attack was intended for a military site Iran stated in a statement as Iran launched a wave of missiles across Israel in response to Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
Israel’s government has called the strike on the hospital “deliberate.” Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel wrote on X, “Iran hit our main hospital in the Negev. This was not accidental. It was a criminal act.”
Soroka hospital serves as the largest medical center in southern Israel. According to hospital chief Prof. Shlomi Codish, parts of the facility were destroyed by fire and shrapnel. “About 200 patients are being transferred to other hospitals due to structural damage,” he said.
Media reporters on site described collapsed ceilings, shattered windows, and thick smoke filling the corridors long after the blast. Emergency services worked through the night to evacuate patients and search for the injured.
The Israeli Ministry of Health reported 271 injuries from missile strikes across the country on Thursday. In a separate incident, a missile struck a commercial tower in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, injuring at least 20 people when glass and debris fell from upper floors.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strikes and vowed a decisive response. Speaking at the scene in Beersheba, Netanyahu said, “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran. No one is immune.”
Netanyahu confirmed Israel had already targeted Iranian nuclear infrastructure, including the Arak heavy water reactor and a facility near Natanz. “We’ve dealt a strong blow to their nuclear program. But this is not over,” he told Israel’s Kan News.
Defense Minister Israel Katz directly blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “He gives the order to fire on hospitals. He cannot be allowed to continue,” Katz said during a press briefing.
The conflict erupted on June 13 after Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran claims the Israeli military targeted civilian areas. Israel maintains it struck only military and nuclear assets, and says the operations were based on verified intelligence.
Iranian state media reported on June 15 that 224 people had died in the country since the attacks began. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in Washington, has since updated that number to 639.
In a show of retaliation, Iran launched long-range missiles at Israel on Thursday, claiming it had aimed for military installations near Beersheba, not the hospital itself.
Israel’s military confirmed it hit nuclear-related facilities inside Iran. Two projectiles were fired near the Arak nuclear site, prompting Israel to issue evacuation warnings to residents in the nearby cities of Arak and Khondab. Officials said there were no radiation risks reported.
Israel also targeted a location in the Natanz area, claiming it contained advanced components linked to Iran’s nuclear weapons development. Israeli intelligence asserts that Iran has made recent efforts to weaponize enriched uranium.
Tehran denies the accusation, insisting its nuclear program is for peaceful energy use. Iran’s armed forces declared that their response to Israel’s aggression “has no limits.”
Iran has since filed a formal complaint to the International Atomic Energy Agency, accusing Israel of violating international laws prohibiting strikes on nuclear infrastructure.
Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticized both sides for putting civilians at risk. “It is appalling to see how civilians are treated as collateral damage,” he said in a statement urging restraint and respect for international law.
The World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross both issued urgent calls to protect hospitals, patients, and health workers. “All parties must respect health facilities at all times,” WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus stated.
Meanwhile, international attention has turned toward Washington. Former President Donald Trump, currently weighing direct U.S. military support for Israel, said Thursday he would decide “within the next two weeks.”
“There’s a substantial chance of negotiations with Iran,” a White House spokesperson told reporters, though Trump has not ruled out military action.
Iran warned the U.S. against intervening. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would “teach aggressors a lesson” if the U.S. takes sides.
Khamenei has rejected American calls to surrender. Iran’s leaders have threatened to strike U.S. assets in the Middle East if provoked.
As tensions mount, Netanyahu declared that Israel will act unilaterally if necessary. “By the end of this operation, there will be no nuclear or ballistic missile threat left,” he said.
Israel has not yet confirmed how many Iranian missile launchers remain active. However, Netanyahu stated more than half have been destroyed and urged allied nations to support further strikes on nuclear sites.
The situation remains volatile, with international observers warning that any further escalation could draw regional powers into a wider conflict.
