Iran Strikes Israel’s Soroka Hospital, Diamond Exchange; Netanyahu Vows Revenge
The missile barrage left over 120 injured across Israel and disrupted daily life in major population centers
A barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles struck several Israeli cities early Thursday morning, June 19, injuring over 120 people and directly hitting Soroka Medical Center, the largest hospital in southern Israel. The attack marks the most serious Iranian strike on civilian infrastructure since the current conflict erupted last week following Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and military leadership.
Missiles slammed into Beersheba, Holon, and Ramat Gan shortly after 7 a.m., triggering air raid sirens across central and southern Israel and sending residents scrambling for shelter. In Beersheba, one missile scored a direct hit on Soroka Medical Center, damaging an old surgical building that recently had been evacuated. Hospital officials reported that several people suffered light injuries and that the facility would only treat life-threatening cases until further notice.
We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran
“We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a public statement following the attack. “This morning, Iran’s terrorist dictators fired missiles at Soroka Hospital … and at civilians in the center of the country.”
Footage from the hospital showed blown-out windows, collapsed ceiling panels, and thick smoke rising from the building. Shlomi Codish, director general of Soroka, confirmed that most of the affected departments had been evacuated prior to the strike. Emergency teams moved remaining patients to underground shelters while assessing the extent of the damage.
The Israeli military described the strike on Soroka as the first direct hit on a hospital since hostilities began on June 13. Soroka, a 1,000-bed facility, serves over 1 million residents and also treats wounded soldiers from ongoing fighting in Gaza.
In a rare move, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ordered elite prison guards from the Nachshon unit to assist at the hospital. The guards, typically tasked with prisoner transport, helped firefighters and emergency responders in rescue efforts, reflecting the severity of the situation.
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Elsewhere, multiple missile impacts were reported in the densely populated Gush Dan region near Tel Aviv. Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency medical service, reported 129 injuries across the country. In Gush Dan alone, 89 people were wounded—three seriously and two moderately. Another 40 were hurt in Beersheba. Dozens of additional people suffered minor injuries from shrapnel or while rushing to shelters, and 13 were treated for anxiety-related symptoms.
Hospitals in Holon and Ramat Gan received patients in serious condition. Sheba Medical Center reported treating two people with life-threatening injuries, while four others in serious condition were admitted to Wolfson Medical Center.
Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned the attacks as “some of the most serious war crimes,” accusing Iran of violating international law by targeting a medical facility. “The prime minister and I have ordered the military to intensify strikes against strategic targets in Iran and against the power infrastructure in Tehran, in order to eliminate the threats to the State of Israel and to shake the ayatollahs’ regime,” Katz said.
Attacking a hospital is a crime that must be condemned, always and everywhere
Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi, leader of the Arab Ta’al party, also condemned the hospital strike. “Attacking a hospital is a crime that must be condemned, always and everywhere,” he posted on social media. “Our hearts go out to the medical teams in Soroka and the injured. Do not harm civilians. Do not harm medical teams. Enough of the wars.”
The Iranian missile barrage, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), involved dozens of ballistic projectiles. While the vast majority were intercepted by Israel’s multilayered air defense system, some managed to evade detection or struck targets after evasion maneuvers. Explosions were heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, marking the loudest blasts in the capital since the war began.
Though Iran has not publicly commented on Thursday’s strikes, the escalation follows a series of Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and senior military figures in recent days. The Israeli government has framed those operations as defensive measures against Tehran’s growing regional threat and nuclear ambitions.
President Donald Trump has so far refrained from committing US forces to Israel’s campaign. “I have ideas as to what to do,” the US president told reporters Wednesday. “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due, you know, because things change.”
Uncertainty remains about whether the US will deepen its involvement, especially as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Washington would face “irreparable” consequences if it joined the fight. Still, Iranian officials have signaled interest in negotiations, with Iran’s foreign minister reportedly open to meeting with American counterparts to discuss a cease-fire or potential limits on Iran’s nuclear program.
The intensifying conflict has prompted foreign governments to begin evacuating their citizens from the region. Japan announced it was dispatching military aircraft to Djibouti to prepare for airlifts, citing the presence of roughly 1,000 Japanese nationals in Israel and another 280 in Iran. China has begun registering citizens for evacuation via the Israel-Egypt border.
In Ramat Gan, one of the most heavily damaged areas was the district surrounding the Israeli Diamond Exchange, a high-security zone packed with office towers, showrooms, and financial firms. A missile struck the vicinity of the Diamond Tower complex, shattering windows in multiple buildings and starting fires on at least two floors of a neighboring commercial structure. Emergency crews worked throughout the morning to evacuate employees and contain the flames. The area, one of the most densely built in the Tel Aviv metropolitan region, was brought to a standstill, with police sealing off access and redirecting traffic. According to police sources, no fatalities were reported in the area, but several people sustained moderate injuries from falling glass and debris. Ramat Gan’s mayor said municipal services were on high alert and that local schools and businesses would remain closed until further notice.
Thursday’s strike on Soroka Hospital has further fueled global concern that the Israel-Iran war could spiral into a broader regional conflict with devastating humanitarian consequences. Although Israel maintains that many strikes in Gaza have targeted facilities used by armed groups, including underground tunnels beneath hospitals, international criticism over civilian casualties has persisted. The Iranian missile attack on a hospital now places Tehran under similar scrutiny.
Israel’s Home Front Command briefly issued additional missile alerts on Thursday afternoon, but the IDF later confirmed they were likely the result of a technical malfunction or delayed notifications from earlier barrages.
The full extent of Thursday’s damage remains under evaluation, but Israeli officials warn that more attacks are likely. “The public must remain alert and follow instructions,” a military spokesperson said, urging residents to stay near protected spaces.
With clouds of smoke still rising from Soroka Medical Center and residents across central Israel returning cautiously to the streets, the latest Iranian attack has underscored the growing civilian toll of a war now entering its second week.
