Israel threatens Iran's top leader after missiles damage hospital and wound dozens

Smokes raises from a building of the Soroka hospital complex after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran in Be'er Sheva, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
BEERSHEBA, Israel -- Israel's defence minister overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader on Thursday after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit a high-rise and several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv.
At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service. Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital.
In the aftermath of the strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military 'has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.'
U.S. officials said this week that President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him 'at least not for now.'
Israel, meanwhile, carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, in its latest attack on the country's sprawling nuclear program, on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists.
A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds.
Missile hits main hospital in southern Israel
Two doctors told The Associated Press that the missile struck almost immediately after air raid sirens went off, causing a loud explosion that could be heard from a safe room. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.
The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has over 1,000 beds and provides services to around one million residents of Israel's south.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: 'We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.'
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, though most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defences, which detect incoming fire and shoot down missiles heading toward population centers and critical infrastructure. Israeli officials acknowledge it is imperfect.
Haim Bublil, a local police commander, told reporters that several people were lightly wounded in the strike.
Many hospitals in Israel activated emergency plans in the past week, converting underground parking to hospital floors and moving patients underground, especially those who are on ventilators or are difficult to move quickly.
Israel also boasts a fortified, subterranean blood bank that kicked into action after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
`No radiation danger' after strike on reactor
Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium.
'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the military said. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program.
Iranian state TV said there was 'no radiation danger whatsoever' from the attack on the Arak site. An Iranian state television reporter, speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor.
Israel had warned earlier Thursday morning it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area.
Iran rejects calls to surrender or end its nuclear program
Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also enriches uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level.
Israel is the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East but does not acknowledge having such weapons.
The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause 'irreparable damage to them.' Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing.
Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Iran's official IRNA news agency said the meeting would include foreign ministers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany and the European Union's top diplomat.
Trump has said he wants something 'much bigger' that a ceasefire and has not ruled out the U.S. joining in Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the U.S. deepens its involvement, without elaborating.
Arak had been redesigned to address nuclear concerns
The Arak heavy water reactor is 250 kilometres (155 miles) southwest of Tehran.
Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. That would provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium, should it choose to pursue the weapon.
Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility over proliferation concerns.
The reactor became a point of contention after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, said in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace a portion of the reactor that it had poured concrete into to render it unusable under the deal.
Israel, in conducting its strike, signaled it remained concerned the facility could be used to produce plutonium again one day.
'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israeli military said in a statement.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has been urging Israel not to strike Iranian nuclear sites. IAEA inspectors reportedly last visited Arak on May 14.
Due to restrictions Iran imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production -- meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile.
------
By Sam Mednick, Natalie Melzer, And Jon Gambrell
Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv contributed.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

43 minutes ago

Canada organizing flights in neighbouring countries for Canadians fleeing Israel, Iran

The federal government is planning to help Canadians fleeing the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran by organizing commercial flights out of neighbouring countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says. Speaking to CBC News Network's Power & Politics in an interview airing Thursday, Anand urged Canadians fleeing both countries to head to Jordan, Turkey and Armenia, where Canada is boosting its consular services. We are very concerned about Canadians in the region and we are encouraging all parties to exercise maximum restraint, she told host David Cochrane. She said flights will be available right away and that Canada is looking at further options with allies. Commercial airspace over both Israel and Iran has been closed as Israel and Iran have launched numerous attacks in the past week. Anand encouraged Canadians seeking consular services to register with Global Affairs Canada. Anand said thousands of Canadians remain in both Israel and Iran and more are reaching out to the government every day. CBC News has asked GAC for a specific number. We have more calls coming in from each jurisdiction, but we are monitoring those calls as well. Some calls that we get are about how do we maintain our safety while staying in the region — and in that respect, if they wish to stay, we are urging everyone to shelter in place, Anand said. If they wish to leave, we are assisting them in neighbouring jurisdictions by booking flights for them to ensure that they can get to where they need to go. Canadians fleeing from Iran to Turkey have three border crossing options and one at the Armenian border, according to GAC's website (new window) . Three border crossings are available from Israel and the West Bank to Jordan (new window) . WATCH | Canadians face challenges fleeing Israel-Iran conflict: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Canadians face challenges fleeing Israel-Iran conflict Thousands of Canadians have been stuck in Iran and Israel since the two countries started exchanging airstrikes, and officials warn it could be weeks before flights resume. The regional conflict escalated last week after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran's military and nuclear sites, kicking off an exchange of missile fire between the two countries. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded. Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. Darren Major (new window) · CBC News

Global News

an hour ago

• Global News

As Iran-Israel conflict rages, Ottawa vows flight help if citizens get out

The federal government will help Canadians stuck in Iran, Israel and the West Bank leave the region on nearby commercial flights as the deadly conflict escalates. Those Canadians will have to reach a neighbouring country first, however, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement Thursday. Airspace over Iran and Israel has been closed since the two countries began trading strikes nearly a week ago. The situation has only devolved further since then, with U.S. President Donald Trump currently weighing whether to authorize U.S. military force against Iran. Anand said the government is 'planning commercial options for Canadians in Israel, the West Bank, and Iran to leave the region via certain neighbouring countries,' adding to existing assistance for Canadians wishing to leave Gaza. 'Given the airspace is not open, once Canadians have crossed the border into neighbouring countries, we have consular services available for them,' Anand said. Story continues below advertisement 2:44 Israel-Iran war: Iranians becoming more cut off as Israel tries to return to normal Extra consular services have been deployed in Jordan, Turkey and Armenia, she added, in addition to Israel and the West Bank. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We are developing further options with our allies,' Anand said, urging Canadians to register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive up-to-date information and guidance from officials. Global Affairs Canada said Tuesday that more than 82,000 Canadians in the Middle East are voluntarily registered with the service, including more than 4,000 in Iran and more than 6,600 in Israel. The numbers, which were up from just a day prior, do not reflect how many Canadians may be in the region. Canada has warned Canadians not to travel to the majority of countries in the Middle East due to the ongoing hostilities. Story continues below advertisement It relocated non-essential diplomatic staff and their families from Canada's embassy in Tel Aviv and consular office in Ramallah on Monday. The U.S. State Department has told American citizens wishing to leave Iran that they must enter neighbouring countries like Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan by foot before securing commercial flights. The U.S. said Wednesday that it is planning evacuation flights for Americans out of Israel, including military transports in addition to commercial options. Canada and the U.S. do not have consular or diplomatic relations with Iran. Canadians in Iran are urged to contact the embassy in Ankara, Turkey, while the Swiss government provides consular services for Americans. More to come…

CTV News

an hour ago

• CTV News

Foreigners evacuated by air, land and sea as Israel-Iran conflict worsens

Israelis go through security checks at the departures terminal at Cyprus' main port in Limassol where they'll board the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris to take them back to their homeland, on Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) ISLAMABAD — Countries are evacuating their nationals from Israel and Iran by air, land and sea as conflict rages between the bitter rivals. Days of attacks and reprisals by the two enemies have shuttered airspace across the Middle East, severely disrupting commercial flights and leaving people unable to get in or out of the region easily. Some governments are using land borders to get their citizens out by road to countries where airports remain open. Thousands of foreigners have already left since the conflict started last Friday when Israel launched surprise missile strikes on Iran. Bulgaria Bulgaria has moved all its diplomats from Tehran to the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, the Balkan country's prime minister said Thursday. 'We are not closing the embassy, ​​but moving it to Baku until the danger passes,' said Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. A group of 89 Bulgarians was evacuated from Israel by plane to Sofia, along with 59 nationals from Slovenia, the U.S., Belgium, Albania, Kosovo and Romania. They left from the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, where they had been transferred by bus across the border from Israel. He said the government had urged all Bulgarians willing to join the convoy to do so. They set off in 11 vehicles on Wednesday morning. 'There were alternatives. They could travel via Turkey, but eventually we decided that they should go via Azerbaijan,' Zhelyazkov added. China China said it has evacuated more than 1,600 nationals from Iran and 'several hundred others' from Israel. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Beijing would continue to do its 'utmost to assist in the safe transfer and evacuation of Chinese citizens.' Aell Huang, who was in the Iranian city of Isfahan, said he didn't feel safe during the conflict. 'I heard explosions from time to time. Civilians got hurt too. I got more prepared mentally once I saw the embassy's warning.' He and some friends hired a car and headed to Azerbaijan, waiting at border control for almost 12 hours, where he saw as many as 60 other Chinese nationals. The Chinese Embassy said it would organize group evacuations by bus from Israel starting Friday. A notice posted on the embassy's WeChat social media account said citizens would be taken out through the Taba border crossing to Egypt. It asked them to register online and said they would be notified of the evacuation time. People carrying Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macao passports were eligible, the notice said. European Union The European Union has helped evacuate some 400 people from Israel via Jordan and Egypt as part of its efforts to coordinate an emergency response within the 27-nation bloc. 'Member states coordinate the list and we co-finance these flights up to 75 per cent of the transport costs,' European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova told a regular press conference in Brussels on Wednesday. Hrncirova said the E.U. was fielding requests by Slovakia, Lithuania, Greece, and Poland for assistance with Middle East evacuations. France French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Thursday it was helping nationals who want to leave Iran and Israel to do so through neighboring countries where commercial flights were still available. Barrot said people in Iran could travel to Armenia and Turkey without a visa. Those unable to reach the border on their own would be 'transported by convoy by the end of the week' so they could take commercial flights to France. French nationals wanting to leave Israel can go via Jordan and Egypt. From Friday morning, some buses will carry passengers from the Israeli border to Amman and Sharm el-Sheikh airports. Germany Germany flew 171 people out of Amman on a special flight on Wednesday. A further 174 people returned on Thursday and another flight is planned this weekend. Passenger Daniel Halav, who was stuck in Tel Aviv, said he had 'never been so glad to be home' after landing in Frankfurt, the German news agency dpa reported. But, he said, 'we had to take care of ourselves of how we got to Amman. From my point of view, we were left a bit alone there.' The German Foreign Ministry said officials had decided against organizing convoys to get people to Amman, arguing this move could have created a security risk and that those wishing to leave were scattered across Israel. Greece Greece's Foreign Ministry said 141 Greeks and other nationals have been evacuated from Israel via Egypt. The group included citizens from Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S. They were flown to Athens early Wednesday from Sharm el-Sheikh aboard two military transport planes. India India said it evacuated 110 students by road from northern Iran to the Armenian capital, Yerevan. They left on a special flight on June 18. The Indian Embassy in Iran has been helping nationals to move from areas experiencing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country, subsequently evacuating them, according to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Israel As of Thursday, some 22,000 holidaymakers had asked the Israeli Tourism Ministry to help them leave the country. There are around 38,000 tourists in Israel. The Transport Ministry said thousands of Israelis have returned daily in the past few days, with 21 planes bringing back nationals stranded abroad since the start of the aerial campaign against Iran. The Population, Immigration, and Border Authority said 38,250 Israelis entered the country between June 13 and 19, and 21,456 left during the same period. The majority of arrivals and departures were by land. Middle East and North Africa Oman said Thursday it had evacuated 245 of its citizens and nationals from other countries via the Iranian coastal city of Bandar Abbas. Ten buses transported Omani citizens from Iran's north into Turkey. A further three buses crossed into Iraq. Indonesia The Indonesian government on Thursday decided to evacuate its nationals from Iran. 'Our citizens are at risk,' Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono said. 'Over the past two days, Israel's attacks have grown more intense, not only targeting the military, but also civilians.' He said about 386 Indonesians, mostly students, were in Iran, primarily in the city of Qom. The ministry earlier said some 194 Indonesians were in Israel, mostly student interns in the southern city of Rafah. Sugiono did not give a timeframe for evacuations, but said Iran has promised to help with the process. Japan Japan is sending two military aircraft to Djibouti to stand by for the possible airlifting of Japanese nationals from Iran. Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters he had issued an order to send two C-2 transport aircraft, along with 120 armed forces personnel, to the Horn of Africa nation, where Japan has a military base. An advance team of servicemembers left Japan earlier Thursday. Chief of the Self-Defence Forces Joint Staff Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida said the C-2 dispatch was to secure multiple options for evacuation when necessary. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the embassy in Iran was preparing to evacuate an unspecified number of Japanese nationals by bus. Some 280 Japanese are in Iran, and 1,000 are in Israel. Poland Deputy Foreign Minister Henryka Moscicka-Dendys said a group would depart from Amman by military aircraft on Thursday, following road transportation from Israel to the Jordanian border. Some 160 Poles arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday morning from Israel via Egypt, the Polish news agency PAP reported. The deputy minister said while there were no plans to evacuate citizens from Iran, Warsaw was helping with the departure of non-essential personnel from the embassy in Tehran. The staff, along with seven Polish citizens, left the Iranian capital on Wednesday morning for the Azerbaijan border. South Korea South Korea's Foreign Ministry says 18 South Korean nationals and two Iranian family members were evacuated from Iran and arrived in Turkmenistan late Wednesday by land. The ministry described the evacuation as a preemptive move to protect citizens as the closure of airspace would have otherwise made it difficult for them to leave. It urged South Koreans in Iran and Israel to promptly depart in line with embassy instructions and advised travelers to cancel or postpone trips to the region. Twenty-five nationals and one Israeli family member were escorted out of Israel by embassy staff and arrived in Jordan on Thursday morning. Thailand Thai nationals have been advised to leave Tehran at the earliest opportunity and avoid traveling to affected areas, although there is no immediate plan for an evacuation from Iran, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura said Wednesday. He said there are about 350 Thais in Iran and only five had expressed a wish to return to Thailand. The embassy in Tehran has set up a temporary shelter for Thais in Amol and has temporarily relocated its office to Kordan to ensure the safety of those needing to travel for the services. The embassy has also prepared the land routes for Thais to travel to Iran's neighbors, Nikorndej said. U.S. The State Department is planning to evacuate Americans from Israel by air and on cruise ships, according to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Huckabee said Americans interested in leaving Israel should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program for updates. There are some 700,000 Americans, many of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, in Israel and thousands more in other Mideast countries, including Iran. Associated Press writers from around the world contributed to this report.