WEB DESK: At least nine people have been confirmed dead and 27 others injured following Iran missile strike on the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, according to emergency services. The attack marks the deadliest incident in Israel since the beginning of the current conflict.
The strike on Beit Shemesh, located west of Jerusalem, is part of a massive, coordinated Iranian retaliation against an ongoing US-Israel air offensive that began on Saturday morning. The assault, which reportedly led to the death of Iran’s supreme leader, has triggered widespread Iranian strikes using ballistic missiles and drones across the Middle East.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) accused Iran of directly firing the missiles that struck the city, specifically targeting innocent civilians. Officials confirmed that a synagogue, where people had gathered seeking shelter from the initial air raids, took a direct hit and was completely destroyed.
Emergency services and rescue workers are currently sifting through piles of broken concrete and twisted metal at the scene. A huge crater marks the point of impact, and nearby cars were completely obliterated by the blast. Police have reported that 11 people remain unaccounted for, with search and rescue operations ongoing amid fears they may be trapped under the rubble.
Dror Eini, a paramedic with the Magen David Adom emergency service, described the immediate aftermath. “We saw destroyed homes, flames and smoke rising from residential buildings, wrecked cars, and significant chaos at the scene,” Eini said.
