In a major escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, southern Israel’s largest medical facility, sustained a direct missile hit, the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday.
In a post on X, the Ministry stated: “BREAKING: A direct hit has been reported at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, southern Israel. More details to follow.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also verified the strike, noting that multiple missiles from Iran landed in Israel, with one striking the hospital directly.
“Several hits were identified as a result of the missile barrage—one of them hitting the largest hospital in southern Israel,” IDF said on X.
The missile attack triggered nationwide air raid sirens, prompting millions of Israelis to seek shelter.
Earlier in the day, the IDF announced a “wave of attacks” launched by the Israeli Air Force on targets in Tehran and other parts of Iran. The IDF issued a warning in Farsi, urging residents of Arak and Khondab to evacuate due to ongoing military operations against Iranian infrastructure.
The conflict has now entered its seventh day, following Israel’s Operation Rising Lion—a massive airstrike campaign launched on June 13 against Iranian military and nuclear sites. In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initiated Operation True Promise 3, targeting Israeli fighter jet fuel production facilities and energy centers, according to Iranian state media.
In a statement on Wednesday, the IDF detailed a series of coordinated airstrikes that hit more than 20 military sites in Tehran, including nuclear facilities and missile production centers. The IDF reported that 60 fighter jets took part in the operation, striking:
- Weapons and centrifuge production sites
- R&D centers linked to Iran’s nuclear weapons program
- Factories producing missile components and air defence systems
The IDF claimed these facilities were crucial for Iran’s efforts to accelerate uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons development.
As the regional tensions surge, both sides appear locked in a cycle of military retaliation, raising alarms about the broader implications of a direct Israel-Iran confrontation.
