A missile strike hit Israel’s Soroka Hospital in Beersheba on Thursday, causing severe damage to the facility’s entrance hall and key departments. The ballistic missile, launched by Iran, struck the ophthalmology unit on the third floor of the surgical building. Windows shattered, ceilings collapsed and medical equipment lay in ruins.
An AFP report described scenes of stark devastation. Ophthalmologist Dr. Wasim Hin expressed disbelief: “It’s so sad, I never thought something like this could happen. Never. It’s only medical professionals here, and patients… and look what happened to us,” he said. Emergency teams continue to assess structural damage throughout the facility.
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Iran’s Missile Was A Direct Hit: Officials
Israeli officials confirmed that the hospital received a “direct hit,” according to Home Front Command officer Yael Tiv. “You can see the damage inside. Shattered windows, the ceilings that fell. It’s a really awful scenario inside,” she said. The structure had been evacuated only days before the attack, preventing further casualties. Maintenance worker Kevin Azoulay described the evacuation as a lifesaving act: “It’s a miracle. The building had just been evacuated.” Despite the damage, 40 people sustained injuries. Hospital director Shlomi Codish reported extensive destruction: “Several wards were completely demolished and there is extensive damage across the entire hospital with damage to buildings, structures, windows, ceilings across the medical centre.”
Israel’s Defence System Intercepts Several Missiles
Israel’s air defence systems intercepted most missiles during the height of the conflict, but a few slipped through. The strike hit the Soroka complex, the largest hospital in southern Israel, which serves Bedouin communities and wounded soldiers from Gaza. World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the attack as “appalling” and warned against weaponising health facilities.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the damage site and vowed retaliation, stating, X: “We will make the tyrants in Tehran pay a heavy price.” Iranian state media, IRNA, later reported that the strike targeted an Israeli command post and intelligence hub near the hospital.
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