Hospital struck in Israel as IDF attacks Iran nuclear site
A hospital in southern Israel has been hit by an Iranian missile strike.
The Soroka Hospital, in Beer Sheba, suffered "extensive damage", officials said. It is the main hospital in Israel 's south and sustained a "direct hit" by a ballistic missile this morning, according to Israeli authorities.
Two people were seriously injured and around 40 were wounded, according to Israeli emergency services.
Iran 's state media said its main targets were an IDF command and intelligence headquarters next to the hospital.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) attacked the Khondab nuclear site, which is roughly 250 miles (400km) west of Tehran, overnight after telling people nearby to evacuate.
Iranian media confirmed two projectiles hit an area close to the partially built heavy-water research reactor, with officials telling state media that no risks of radiation or casualties were detected.
Iran's atomic energy organisation described the attack on the facility, originally known as Arak, as a "renewed violation of international law".
Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "exact the full price" from Iran after the hospital strike.
"This morning, Iran's terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheba and at a civilian population in the centre of the country," he wrote on X.
"We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran."
His defence minister Israel Katz vowed to "increase the intensity of attacks" against Iran.
"The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of attacks against strategic targets in Iran and against government targets in Tehran in order to remove threats to the State of Israel and undermine the ayatollahs' regime," he wrote on X.
Sky News correspondent Cordelia Lynch was at the Soroka Hospital following the strike and said she saw smoke rising from the building.
"We heard eyewitness accounts of people hearing a loud boom as this medical centre was struck," she said.
"We've been seeing patients being wheeled out here, we've seen others with minor injuries, but it's unclear when exactly they incurred those."
Israeli air defences were penetrated over central parts of the country overnight. According to a military official, several population centres, including the hospital, were hit after dozens of missiles were launched.
Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, was one of the areas hit by Iranian attacks overnight, leading to extensive damage.
Trails of missiles and interception efforts were visible in the skies over Tel Aviv this morning as explosions were heard.
The emergency services said five people had been seriously injured in the attack, with dozens of others hurt in three other locations. In south Tel Aviv, people are trapped in a building, it said.
Israel's attack on the Khondab nuclear facility, which its military identified as a key component in plutonium production, was accompanied by strikes on what Israel said were nuclear weapons development sites in Natanz and Isfahan.
Construction at the Khondab nuclear site was halted, while its core was removed and filled with concrete to make it unusable under a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. But Iran told the UN's nuclear watchdog that it planned to start operating the reactor in 2026.
Heavy-water reactors pose a nuclear proliferation risk because they can easily produce plutonium which, like enriched uranium, can be used to make the core of a bomb.
The Khondab reactor was "not operational" when it was struck by Israel, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
The nuclear watchdog said the facility was under construction at the time Israel struck it.
"It was not operational and contained no nuclear material, so no radiological effects," it added in a post on X.
Natanz was the site of a complex at the heart of Iran's nuclear programme that included two enrichment plants.
The site was previously struck by Israel during its aerial war with Iran, which started a week ago.
The strikes mark the latest in Israeli efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
40 minutes ago
- NBC News
Netanyahu visits hospital damaged in Iranian strike
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Soroka hospital in Beersheba, a city in southern Israel, after it was damaged in an Iranian missile strike. Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Netanyahu thanked Donald Trump for his support of Israel in its conflict with Iran.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Insight: How Trump, a self-proclaimed "peacemaker," embraced Israel's campaign against Iran
WASHINGTON, June 19 (Reuters) - Roughly one month ago, from the stage at an investment forum in Saudi Arabia, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran that would prove prophetic. "We'll never allow America and its allies to be threatened with terrorism or nuclear attack," Trump told the crowd, sending a message to the leadership in Tehran. "The time is right now for them to choose. Right now. We don't have a lot of time to wait. Things are happening at a very fast pace." That May 13 ultimatum received little attention at the time. But behind the scenes, the president already knew an attack on Iran could be imminent - and that there might be little he could do to stop it, according to two U.S. officials. By mid-May, the Pentagon had begun drawing up detailed contingency plans to aid Israel if it followed through on its long-held ambition to strike Iran's nuclear program, the officials said. And the U.S. had already diverted thousands of defensive weapons away from war-torn Ukraine toward the Middle East in preparation for potential conflict, according to a Western source familiar with the matter and a Ukrainian source. The Pentagon declined to comment for this story. This account of the weeks and days leading up to Trump's decision to throw his support behind Israel's bombing campaign is based on interviews with over a dozen administration officials, foreign diplomats and Trump confidantes, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. The picture that emerges is that of a long, secretive preparation process and a president who for weeks found himself torn between diplomacy and supporting military action - and was ultimately persuaded in part by an ally whose actions he did not fully control. While Trump has long described himself as a peacemaker - dispatching Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to the region several times to try to seal a diplomatic accord - he had several trusted political allies pushing him to back an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. And U.S. intelligence had indicated a unilateral Israeli strike was possible, even likely, even if Trump wanted to wait, according to two U.S. officials. While it is unclear if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Trump's more hawkish allies ever got him to a "yes" to Israel's plans, by the days leading up the strike he was at least not a "no," according to two senior U.S. officials and a senior Israeli source. That stance, people familiar with the dynamics said, helped tip Israel into action. Seven days into the Israel-Iran conflict, Trump is left with a dilemma, said Aaron David Miller, a veteran diplomat who has advised six secretaries of state on Middle East policy. He can try again to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran, allow Iran and Israel "to fight it out," or he can enter the war with U.S. airstrikes on the deeply buried Fordow enrichment plant, a step that would have unknown consequences for the region. Trump "let it (the Israeli attack) happen," said Miller. "He got on the tiger and he's riding it." The White House, the Israeli prime minister's office and Iran's delegation to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment. Tehran has consistently said its nuclear program is designed for peaceful purposes only, a conclusion Washington has rejected. One of the first hints that Trump might sign off on an Israeli bombing campaign came in April. During a closed door meeting on April 17, Saudi Arabia's defense minister delivered a blunt message to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: Take Trump's offer to negotiate an agreement seriously because it presents a way to avoid the risk of war with Israel. Reuters could not determine whether the message was sent at Washington's behest, nor whether Iran's leaders took that message seriously. With hindsight, they should have. The Israel Defense Forces and the head of U.S. Central Command, General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, were discussing detailed intelligence about Iran's missile buildup and nuclear program and steps that could be required to defend U.S. troops and Israel itself in any conflict with Iran, according to a U.S. official and senior Israeli official. Meanwhile, the U.S. was funneling weapons to Israel that would be useful for an air war with Iran. In one instance in early May, a large shipment of defensive missiles originally meant for Ukraine were diverted to Israel instead, according to the Western source and the Ukrainian source. The diverted shipment caused consternation in Kyiv and sparked continued fears that additional weapons needed to defend against Moscow will instead be used to defend U.S. interests elsewhere, the Ukrainian source said. In the opening months of Trump's term, Israel had already proposed to Washington a series of options to attack Iran's facilities, according to sources. While Trump had rebuffed those ideas, saying he preferred diplomacy for the time being, several people close to him said he was never dead-set against using military force against Iran. He had done so before. In 2020, despite a foreign policy during his first term that was otherwise marked by restraint, Trump ordered a drone strike that killed major general Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' division responsible for its international operations. The Iranian government has since sought to murder Trump in revenge, U.S. prosecutors have said, an allegation Tehran denies. Behind the scenes, Trump had been pulled in multiple directions on the Iran issue since before he even took office. On one side, many supporters - including conservative media personality Tucker Carlson - and administration officials saw Trump's Make America Great Again movement as an antidote to decades of foreign wars that cost thousands of American lives without significantly advancing American interests. On the other, several close Trump allies - from conservative commentator Mark Levin to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham - were portraying a nuclear Iran as an existential threat that must be removed at any cost. Trump himself took pride in being a broker of peace. "My proudest legacy," he said during his inauguration address, "will be that of a peacemaker and unifier." Ultimately, no U.S. official, Trump confidante or diplomat Reuters talked to identified an epiphany that tipped the scales for the president. One senior administration official said that after months of sitting on the fence a lack of diplomatic progress, a push from the Israelis and appeals by hawkish allies likely wore him down. Trump aides and allies have noted that Israel's attack unfolded just after the expiry of a 60-day deadline the Trump administration had set for a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. The senior U.S. official said another dynamic was at play: As U.S. intelligence consistently showed Israel might go ahead with an attack with or without U.S. support, the administration could look caught off guard if they did not get behind it. Worse, it could appear that the U.S. was opposing a longtime ally. Although Trump had appeared to some to snub Netanyahu as he pushed for a peaceful solution to the crisis, privately, Israel understood that Washington would stand by it, said a separate official. By the time Trump talked to Netanyahu on Monday, June 9 - one of many phone calls in recent days - his stance was one of tacit, if not explicit approval, according to one U.S. and one Israeli official. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had said he would like more time to see diplomacy play out. But the U.S. official said that he did not explicitly veto Israel's plans. By Wednesday, June 11, it was clear to Washington that Israel's plans were a go. That day, Reuters reported that the U.S. was preparing a partial evacuation of its Iraqi embassy amid fears of reprisals from Iran following an imminent attack. The next day, June 12, Washington sent a formal diplomatic note to several regional allies, warning them that an attack was imminent. That evening, Israel launched its overnight barrage, an attack that almost immediately escalated into an air war. Trump and some key cabinet members watched the events live from the wood-paneled "JFK room," part of the White House Situation Room. Other officials watched the events nearby. On the menu, per one official: stone crabs from a local restaurant. The initial attack appeared to be a success, with several close advisers to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed and key nuclear sites seriously damaged. Over the weekend, the Israelis considered killing Khamenei himself, but were waved off by Trump, according to two U.S. officials. Almost immediately, a political civil war erupted in Trump's Republican Party, with several high-profile conservatives, including members of Congress, accusing his administration of fanning the flames of war. Seven days on, the U.S. intelligence community believes the strikes have set Iran's nuclear ambitions back by only months, according to a source familiar with U.S. intelligence reports, confirming a CNN report. A significant blow to Iran's nuclear ambitions, most analysts say, will require dropping bunker-busting bombs on the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear program. Only the U.S. has that capability. Trump has said he is considering such a strike, which would represent a major escalation for the United States. As of Thursday, his intentions were still unclear.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl backs Donald Trump over ICE controversy and Israel-Iran war
College basketball coach Bruce Pearl has backed Donald Trump over his illegal immigration crackdown, insisting that the president is 'making America safe again.' On Tuesday, the White House shared data claiming that zero illegal immigrants were released into the United States in May. That figure was more than 62,000 a year ago under the Biden administration, the White House said. And Auburn coach Pearl, who has been an outspoken supporter of Trump, was thrilled to see how Trump is handling the country's border security. 'We didn't need new laws, we just needed a president that would enforce the ones we already had! President @realDonaldTrump is making America safe again!,' he wrote on X. Pearl, who previously slammed Kamala Harris for her ' woke progressive beliefs,' expressed his support for legal immigration in November after Trump had won a second term in office. 'President Trump won big because more Americans believed he will fix Inflation, secure our border, support legal immigration, bring peace to the world through strength and put America first,' he said on X. The White House claimed that zero illegal immigrants were released into the US in May 'I pray and I believe he will work for all Americans, uniting us as one nation under God!' Pearl's latest remarks on immigration came as he also praised Trump's 'instincts' in regards to the Israel-Iran conflict. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump didn't rule out US military intervention as missile attacks continue in both countries. Nonetheless, Pearl trusts that Trump will make the right decision as he mulls deploying US forces to take out Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. 'He's got incredible instincts, like instincts that I think historically will be down as one of the greatest leaders in the history of the world,' Pearl said on Dont @ Me with Dan Dakich. 'That's a strong statement… I think the vast majority of it is incredibly calculated. Every now and then, it may be a little bit off the cuff, but I trust him.' Pearl also said that the world was 'about to become a safer place' with ' a non-nuclear Iran', and gushed about Trump's handling of the Middle East. 'If the Middle East gets safer and stronger, look at what dynamic country Israel is. Look at all the unicorns that are there. Look at all the high tech and development. Look at all the wealth,' he said. 'If you began to spread that to some of these other Middle Eastern countries, who are they going to partner with? The United States, Russia, China? It's going to be the U.S. because Donald Trump has led the way to create peace and prosperity for everybody in the region.' Pearl, who is Jewish, has especially outspoken in his support of Israel since the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas in 2023. Following his team's win over Creighton in March Madness, he campaigned for the return of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, who was ultimately held in captivity for 584 days before his release in May. Trump, however, received a frostier reception from different sports figures on Wednesday as he hosted select Juventus players in the Oval Office. Several players - including Americans Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie - visited the president ahead of their Club World Cup clash in DC, but Trump seemingly baffled them as he spoke about trans athletes and the Israel-Iran situation with them in the room. 'It was all a surprise to me, honestly - they told us that we have to go and I had no choice but to go,' Weah said after Juventus' 5-0 win later that night. 'I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird. When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football man.'
