Tel Aviv: An Iranian ballistic missile struck Soroka Hospital in Israel’s Beersheba, seriously injuring several patients, doctors, and staff as the conflict entered its seventh day on Thursday, June 19. However, Iran has denied attacking the hospital directly.
According to reports, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the attack. It clarified that the hospital suffered damage while a nearby area was targeted. “The hospital was not targeted; it suffered damage from the attack at a nearby place.”
According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), Iran fired around 30 ballistic missiles at Israel on Thursday, and one of them struck the hospital in Beersheba.
“Soroka Hospital in Beersheba — where Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Arab Bedouin receive care — was just hit by an indiscriminate Iranian ballistic missile. Israel will continue to do what must be done to protect all its people, from all walks of life,” the Israel Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.
President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, took to his social media to narrate the horrific scenes in the hospital after the attack on the civilians.
“A baby in intensive care. A mother by their bedside. A doctor is rushing between beds. An elderly resident in a nursing home. These were some of the targets of Iran’s missile attacks on Israeli civilians this morning. Soroka Hospital, located in Be’er Sheva, is one of Israel’s finest — serving the entire Negev region, caring for Israelis of all faiths and our neighbours, the Palestinians who come especially to be treated there. Its devoted staff — Jews and Arabs — work side by side in extraordinary harmony, united by the mission to heal,” the President posted on X.
“I send strength and support to the medical teams, to the patients, and to the residents of Be’er Sheva and all cities attacked across Israel this morning. In moments like these, we are reminded of what’s truly at stake and the values we are defending,” the post added.
Condemning the attack on the hospital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This morning, Iran’s terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at a civilian population in the centre of the country. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticised the Iranian regime, stating that it intentionally attacks the civilian population. “The Iranian regime fired a ballistic missile at a hospital.”
The Iranian regime deliberately targets civilians. The Iranian regime is committing war crimes. The Iranian regime has no red lines,” the Foreign Minister said in a post on X.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel slammed Iran’s “deliberate” and “criminal” activities and posted, “Iran just hit Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva with a ballistic missile. Not a military base. A hospital. This is the main medical centre for Israel’s entire Negev region. Deliberate. Criminal. Civilian target. The world must speak out.”
The conflict erupted last Friday when Netanyahu announced the launch of ‘Operation Rising Lion’ against Iran, a targeted military operation to roll back the “Iranian threat of nuclear weapons” to Israel’s survival.
Iran denies attacking hospital in Israel
However, Iran has denied attacking the hospital. According to an Al Jazeera report, Soroka Hospital has been used by the Israeli military to treat soldiers wounded during operations in Gaza. However, Iranian sources stress that the hospital itself was not the intended target.
The Iranian government has accused Israel of engaging in psychological warfare by falsely linking the missile strike to civilian infrastructure, in order to deflect attention from the damage inflicted on its military command network.
Soroka Hospital is located between two major Israeli military sites: IDF’s main intelligence headquarters and a central command facility, both of which are situated in the Gav-Yam Technology Park. These installations reportedly serve as critical hubs for Israel’s cyber operations, digital command systems, and military intelligence infrastructure (including IDF C4I and C4ISR systems).
According to a report by Tehran Times, since the beginning of the conflict, Israel has targeted two civilian hospitals in Iran. One of the hospitals was in Tehran and the other in Kermansha. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday’s attack on Israel and said a “precise and direct” strike against military assets, not civilian targets.
“This false narrative is part of a psychological campaign aimed at sanitising Israel’s military image and concealing the extent of the blow to its intelligence infrastructure,” Iranian sources stated.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
