Iran launched a barrage of around 30 ballistic missiles early Thursday, with a direct hit on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba—Israel’s main southern hospital—and additional strikes in Holon and Ramat Gan. The attack wounded dozens, including six people in serious condition.
Among the seriously injured were an 80-year-old man and two women in their 70s. At least 42 others suffered light injuries from shrapnel and shockwaves, while 18 more were hurt while scrambling to shelters.
The missile that struck Soroka hit the hospital’s old surgical ward, a building recently evacuated. “All patients and staff were in shelters. Injuries here are light, mostly from the shockwave,” said hospital director Prof. Shlomi Kodesh.
Eli Bin, head of the Magen David Adom emergency service, confirmed that the impacted floor had been cleared the day before. “Many lives were saved,” he said.
Iran claimed it was targeting a nearby military intelligence facility. However, Israeli officials stated there are no military installations near Soroka. The closest is over a kilometer away.
The hospital, with over 1,000 beds, serves nearly 1 million residents of southern Israel. After the strike, it was closed to new patients except in life-threatening cases.
This attack follows Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, launched last week in response to what Israeli leaders called an existential threat. With tensions escalating, hospitals across Israel have activated emergency protocols, relocating critical patients to underground shelters and converting garages into medical wards.
