The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has entered its seventh day, with a major escalation as a hospital in the Israeli town of Beersheba was struck during a barrage of Iranian missile attacks. Iran claimed it had targeted a nearby military site, not the hospital itself.
Despite this assertion, the Israeli Health Ministry confirmed that at least 271 people have been injured in the latest round of attacks across multiple locations in the country. The Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, a critical facility serving the entire Negev region, suffered severe damage. Hospital authorities reported several wards were destroyed as fire engulfed parts of the building, causing ceilings to collapse and windows to shatter. Around 200 patients are being transferred to other hospitals due to safety concerns.
Following a visit to the damaged medical center, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp condemnation, stating that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist.” He accused Khamenei of personally ordering strikes on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.
Israel has responded with targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, including the Arak heavy water reactor and the Natanz facility, which Israel claims are part of Iran’s weapons development program. These sites were described by Israeli officials as “inactive,” but symbolically significant.
Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sharren Haskel accused Iran of a “deliberate and criminal” attack on Soroka, reiterating that it serves as the primary medical hub for southern Israel.
In a separate incident on Thursday morning, an Iranian ballistic missile struck the business district of Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv. The explosion caused significant damage, including a large glass panel falling from a skyscraper and part of an electrical pylon collapsing. Authorities reported about 20 people injured in the blast.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation, stating, “Israel will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.”
BBC correspondents on the ground described the damage in Beersheba as extensive, with smoke and debris lingering hours after the attack.
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