Beersheba, June 20, 2025:
According to hospital officials and Israeli authorities, dozens were injured when an Iranian fired ballistic missile struck the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, southern Israel, severely damaging the facility.
Averting a far worse disaster, the Israeli Health Ministry confirmed that patients from the impacted wing had been transferred to an underground shelter just hours prior to the strike. "There has been a strike on the hospital and extensive damage in various areas," a hospital spokesperson told Reuters, adding that authorities are currently evaluating both patient injuries and structural damage.
No fatalities have been confirmed as of yet, but emergency services reported that about 71 people were lightly injured, many of them experiencing shock and panic. Jummah Abu Kush, an eyewitness who was inside the building when the missile struck, reported, "Abruptly, we heard a huge explosion." We were aware of its proximity.
At least 20 ballistic projectiles were fired at southern and central Israel as part of the Iranian missile assault, according to several reports. Israel claims the hospital was deliberately hit, while Iran claims the strike targeted nearby IDF military and intelligence installations. During his visit to the hospital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack as a war crime and promised a "heavy price" in retaliation.
Israel Katz, the minister of defense, denounced the Iranian leadership, claiming it "cannot continue to exist," and charged them with intentionally targeting civilians. According to official sources, the Israel Defense Forces responded by attacking Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Natanz enrichment site and the Arak heavy water reactor, with retaliatory airstrikes. Soroka's healthcare operations have been seriously disrupted. Damaged wards are now sealed off, and admissions are restricted to cases that are life critical. To continue treating patients, the hospital has mobilized underground spaces and other emergency wards.
The response from around the world has been prompt. The UK government called for an immediate de-escalation through diplomatic channels, while the World Health Organization vehemently denounced the attack as a violation of international humanitarian law. The threat of a larger regional conflict increases as Israel and Iran trade increasingly violent strikes.
US President Donald Trump has two weeks to decide whether to directly involve the United States, and Israeli officials are awaiting his decision. A reminder of the civilian cost in a conflict that is showing no signs of ending, Soroka Medical Center is still at the center of this developing crisis.
