Iran strikes Soroka Medical Center, one of Israel's largest hospitals treating soldiers
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, commenting on Thursday's targeting of Soroka Hospital by Iran, declared the incident to be a 'war crime and a crime against humanity,' vowing it would not deter Israel's actions, according to international media reports.
Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Herzog's remarks, where he lauded Soroka Hospital, hit by Iranian shelling, as 'among Israel's finest medical facilities.' He highlighted the 'dedicated staff, united in their efforts to preserve lives,' adding, 'We profoundly remember the magnitude of this moment and the principles of humanity and civilization under assault by a jihadist regime intent on our destruction.'
Notably, soldiers participating in the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip—an operation that has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, predominantly women and children—are receiving medical care at Soroka Hospital.
Iran's Fars News Agency, an outlet closely associated with the Revolutionary Guard, claimed the attacks were directed at the Israeli military's Central Command for Communications, Control, and Intelligence. The agency specified that these targets are located next to the military hospital, explaining why Soroka was exposed to the blast wave.
This marks the seventh consecutive day that areas within Israel have been subjected to Iranian attacks. These recent barrages, involving dozens of Iranian missiles, are described as the most intense within a 48-hour period, according to Israel's Channel 12 and the occupation army's radio.
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US military interference would be 'an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences,' Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing. 15:30 At least 240 people were wounded by the Iranian missile strikes on Israel on Thursday morning, according to Israel's Health Ministry, AP reported. Four individuals have been seriously wounded, the Ministry said. Doctors wheel a patient to safety after a building at Soroka Hospital was struck by an Iranian missile in Beersheba in southern Israel on June 19, 2025. AFP 15:21 Iran's supreme leader has appointed Brigadier General Mohammad Karami as the new ground forces commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force that controls Iran's ballistic missiles, after Israeli strikes last week assassinated several high-ranking military officials in Tehran, as reported by AP. 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Speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, an Iranian state television reporter said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor. Additionally, the Israeli air force "struck a nuclear weapons development site in the area of Natanz", its army said, saying that around 40 Israeli air force jets had taken part in the overnight raids that saw "dozens" of sites hit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that Israeli forces had destroyed the principal uranium enrichment facility at the Natanz site. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Tuesday that there appeared to have been "direct impacts" on the underground part of the facility. Work on the Arak heavy-water research reactor on the outskirts of the village of Khondab began in the 2000s, but was halted under the terms of a now-abandoned 2015 nuclear deal struck between Iran and world powers. Iran informed the IAEA of its plans to commission the reactor by 2026. The research reactor was officially intended to produce plutonium for medical research, and the site includes a heavy water production plant. 09:25 A ballistic Iranian missile has hit Soroka military hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, as Iran launched its latest wave of retaliatory airstrikes on the country. Unverified footage on social media showed people running through corridors filled with dust and debris, and doctors standing outside amid the building's wreckage. A spokesperson for the army hospital reported 'damage to the hospital and extensive damage in various areas. We are currently assessing the damage, including injuries. We ask the public not to come to the hospital at this time.' The facility serves as the main medical hub for the Negev region and treats Israeli civilians and mainly military personnel, including soldiers wounded during Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. Sirens sounded across the country earlier, and Israeli media reported that several loud blasts were also heard in central Israel, with several other direct hits reported. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. 09:21 Donald Trump has approved attack plans for Iran but withheld the final order, according to a new report. The Wall Street Journal reports Trump told senior aids he was holding off to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear programme first. 15:30 At least 240 people were wounded by the Iranian missile strikes on Israel on Thursday morning, according to Israel's Health Ministry, AP reported. Four individuals have been seriously wounded, the Ministry said. 15:21 Iran's supreme leader has appointed Brigadier General Mohammad Karami as the new ground forces commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force that controls Iran's ballistic missiles, after Israeli strikes last week assassinated several high-ranking military officials in Tehran, as reported by AP. Karami is replacing Mohammad Pakpour, who was appointed last week to become the new commander of the Guard following the killing of Hossein Salami. 15:10 Iraqi militant group Harakat al-Nujab threatened to attack U.S. citizens if Israel targets Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'No soldier, diplomat, or even a bearer of your nationality in our region will be safe. All your direct and indirect interests will become legitimate targets for us, as long as we draw breath in this vile world,' the statement said. 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