 "In Photos: Inside Iran's deadly strikes on an Israeli hospital")
The conflict between Israel and Iran stretched into its seventh consecutive day on Thursday, with both nations continuing to rain missiles amid rising tensions.
Early Thursday morning, a missile fired from Iran struck the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, southern Israel—leaving behind chaos, injuries, and widespread destruction.
According to a government spokesperson, the hospital sustained “extensive damage” and dozens were hurt in the incident. As per AFP, at least 47 people were injured during the strike on Soroka, the largest hospital in southern Israel.
Israeli media broadcast disturbing images of the aftermath—shattered windows, thick black smoke rising from the building, and scenes of panic unfolding in real-time.
Inside the facility, staff and civilians were seen rushing through smoke-filled corridors, pile of debris and scattered glass. Benches and chairs were upturned, and shards of broken windows littered the floor.
In a statement, the hospital urged people to stay away: “We are currently assessing the damage, including injuries. We ask the public not to come to the hospital at this time.”
The attack drew a strong response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who took to social media to issue a warning to Tehran.
“This morning, Iran’s terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at civilian areas in the centre of the country. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” he posted on X.
With over 1,000 beds, Soroka Medical Centre serves nearly one million people in Israel’s southern region, according to the AP.
In anticipation of further escalation, hospitals across the country had already enacted emergency protocols. These included converting underground parking lots into temporary treatment wards and relocating critical patients, such as those on ventilators, into protected areas below ground.
Iran, however, pushed back against the narrative, stating that the hospital was not the intended target. According to IRNA, the country’s official news agency, the missile was aimed at a nearby Israeli military command and intelligence base.
“The main target of the attack was the Israeli Army Command and Intelligence Base (IDF C4I) and the Army Intelligence Camp in Gav-Yam Technology Park, located in the vicinity of the Soroka Hospital,” IRNA reported.
Additional airstrikes were also reported in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Holon, and Beersheba, as Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles and drones deep into Israeli territory.
The hospital attack came just hours after Israel targeted Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, a significant escalation in a conflict that erupted a week ago with a surprise Israeli airstrikes aimed at Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of projectiles, including missiles and drones, into Israel. Despite its advanced multi-tiered air defence systems, Israel has acknowledged that it cannot intercept every threat, especially those aimed at civilian and strategic facilities like Soroka.
With input from agencies
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