Israel and Iran Escalate Conflict with Strikes and Counter-Strikes
The conflict between Israel and Iran intensified recently when Iran launched a missile barrage that damaged a major hospital in southern Israel and hit several residential buildings near Tel Aviv. In response, Israel struck a heavy water reactor that is part of Iran’s nuclear program.
At least 240 people were wounded by the Iranian missiles, with four serious injuries reported, according to Israel’s Health Ministry. The majority of those injured were treated for light wounds, including over 70 people from the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and stated that the military had been instructed to take action against him. U.S. officials revealed that President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei, with Trump later stating there were no current plans to do so.
The Israeli military targeted Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, which is part of the country’s nuclear program. This strike is the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran has fired over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel since last Friday, killing at least 24 people and wounding hundreds. An Israeli military official reported that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in one of its attacks, posing a new challenge to Israel’s defenses.
The conflict began with a surprise Israeli airstrike targeting Iranian military sites, senior officers, and nuclear scientists. According to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group, at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran, with over 1,300 wounded.
The Soroka Medical Center, which was hit by the Iranian missile strike, has over 1,000 beds and serves around 1 million residents in southern Israel. The hospital reported that the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been recently evacuated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Iranian attack and vowed a response. Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, despite enriching uranium to 60%, close to weapons-grade levels.
The Arak heavy water reactor, targeted by Israel, is 250 kilometers southwest of Tehran. The facility can produce plutonium, providing an alternative path to nuclear weapons development.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has urged Israel not to strike Iranian nuclear sites. The conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate, with potential implications for regional and global security.
