The top floor of the hospital building was reduced to large concrete fragments, with debris and shattered glass scattered extensively, even hundreds of feet from the site. The air was thick with the acrid smell of melted plastic and burnt electrical wiring.
Following the impact of an Iranian missile at Soroka Medical Center, a prominent hospital complex in Beersheba, southern Israel, firefighters managed to extinguish the flames while rescue teams conducted thorough searches and medical staff transferred patients to safer locations.
Dr. Vadim Bankovich, head of the Orthopedics Department whose office overlooks the damaged surgical wing, described a powerful explosion accompanied by a shockwave.
Hospital Director General Shlomi Codish explained that much of the building had been evacuated in recent days. He confirmed that all patients and staff were in protected areas during the strike, and that the hospital was currently treating several individuals with minor injuries.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards asserted they targeted Israeli military installations adjacent to the hospital, though no evidence supporting this claim has been presented. The Israeli military has not yet commented on these allegations.
Upon receiving a missile alert on his phone, Dr. Bankovich and his team immediately moved to a windowless safe room where patients had already gathered. After approximately ten minutes, when they emerged, they found toppled cabinets, scattered ceiling panels, and broken medical equipment.
Dr. Bankovich recounted how windows, including those reinforced with iron in designated safe rooms, were shattered by the blast. His office, located roughly 100 feet from the missile’s impact point, now faces extensive destruction.
Due to the extent of the damage, Dr. Bankovich indicated that his department would need to be closed temporarily.
He added, “We could feel the heat from the fires.”
This missile strike marks the first direct attack on a hospital since the conflict began seven days ago, following Iran’s initiation of missile and drone assaults in retaliation against Israeli actions targeting its nuclear facilities and senior military officials.
Although Iran has recently decreased its missile launches and Israeli authorities have relaxed some civilian wartime restrictions, the attack on Soroka Medical Center highlights that Iran remains capable of causing significant damage inside Israel despite interception efforts by advanced air defense systems.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, Iranian attacks have targeted multiple population centers, including residential high-rises and research institutions, resulting in at least 24 fatalities and over 800 injuries, according to Israeli health officials.
Israel’s Prime Minister vowed retribution for the strike, declaring that Tehran would face full consequences.
Hospital attendant Avichay Amrami, 38, described the chaotic scenes in the parking lot strewn with debris and broken glass as emergency personnel removed damaged vehicles. He recalled people running in all directions following the explosion.
Fearing structural collapse, Amrami and colleagues promptly evacuated patients to safer locations.
He noted that fortunately, the impacted floor was unoccupied at the time of the strike.
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