Israeli hospital hit by Iranian missile attack

TEL AVIV,— Iranian missiles struck a hospital in southern Israel early Thursday as tensions between Tehran and Jerusalem intensified, with speculation mounting over possible U.S. military involvement.

According to Israel’s health ministry, the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba was hit in the morning hours during a barrage launched by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Authorities said several individuals sustained minor injuries. The hospital’s emergency room and adjacent buildings suffered moderate damage but remained functional.

Iranian state sources said the missiles were aimed at Israeli military and intelligence locations near the medical facility. The attack followed several days of Israeli air raids against Iranian infrastructure, including nuclear installations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged continued strikes against Iranian military assets, calling the Islamic Republic’s leadership “tyrants” who will “pay the full price.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military had been ordered to increase attacks on key sites in Tehran. He explained the goal was not just to stop threats against Israel, but also to weaken what he called the “Ayatollah regime” in Iran.

Netanyahu reiterated that the campaign’s objective is the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, which Israeli officials view as an existential threat. He stated that the military operations could eventually lead to the collapse of Iran’s ruling regime.

Israeli strikes over the past week have severely damaged nuclear sites and military infrastructure, according to Israeli defense sources.

Officials said the operations have focused only on military sites, with strict efforts made to avoid civilian casualties.

In contrast, Iranian missile attacks have mostly hit civilian zones, including homes and public buildings, causing casualties among non-combatants.

In the latest wave of attacks, Israel said it launched airstrikes on the Khondab nuclear complex near Arak, where a heavy-water reactor is under construction. Iran’s state media reported impacts near the area but said no radiation leak was detected.

The IDF also confirmed it targeted a separate site in Natanz, believed to house equipment for advanced nuclear weapons development.

No official response yet from Washington, though U.S. President Donald Trump has remained ambiguous about possible American military engagement.

(With files from Reuters)