TEL AVIV, June 19: An Iranian ballistic missile struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba on Thursday, leaving dozens of patients, doctors, and hospital staff seriously injured, as the Iran-Israel conflict entered its seventh day. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Iran launched approximately 30 ballistic missiles toward Israel, one of which directly hit the hospital — a key medical facility in southern Israel serving a diverse population.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the strike, stating, “Soroka Hospital in Beersheba — where Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Arab Bedouin receive care — was just hit by an indiscriminate Iranian ballistic missile. Israel will continue to do what must be done to protect all its people, from all walks of life.”
President Isaac Herzog expressed shock and sorrow over the attack, sharing an emotional message on social media. “A baby in intensive care. A mother by their bedside. A doctor rushing between beds. An elderly resident in a nursing home. These were some of the targets of Iran’s missile attacks on Israeli civilians this morning,” he wrote. Highlighting the hospital’s role in treating both Israelis and Palestinians, he praised its medical staff — both Jews and Arabs — for working together “in extraordinary harmony.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, calling it a direct act of terrorism. “This morning, Iran’s terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at a civilian population in the centre of the country. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” Netanyahu declared.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also lashed out at Iran, accusing it of targeting civilians deliberately. “The Iranian regime fired a ballistic missile at a hospital… committing war crimes… The Iranian regime has no red lines,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel added, “Not a military base. A hospital. This is the main medical centre for Israel’s entire Negev region. Deliberate. Criminal. Civilian target. The world must speak out.”
The missile strike comes amid an intensifying conflict that began last Friday after Prime Minister Netanyahu launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military campaign aimed at curbing Iran’s growing nuclear threat. The attack on Soroka Hospital marks one of the most serious escalations in the ongoing hostilities, further drawing international concern over civilian safety and regional stability.
