Latest news with #Rehovot
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli scientists reel after Iranian missile strikes premier research institute
REHOVOT, Israel: For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran's nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it. Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields. While no one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, it caused heavy damage to multiple labs on campus, snuffing out years of scientific research and sending a chilling message to Israeli scientists that they and their expertise are now targets in the escalating conflict with Iran. 'It's a moral victory' for Iran, said Oren Schuldiner, a professor in the department of molecular cell biology and the department of molecular neuroscience whose lab was obliterated in the strike. 'They managed to harm the crown jewel of science in Israel.' Iranian scientists were a prime target in a long shadow war During years of a shadow war between Israel and Iran that preceded the current conflict, Israel repeatedly targeted Iranian nuclear scientists with the aim of setting back Iran's nuclear program. Israel continued that tactic with its initial blow against Iran days ago, killing multiple nuclear scientists, along with top generals, as well as striking nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure. For its part, Iran has been accused of targeting at least one Weizmann scientist before. Last year, Israeli authorities said they busted an Iranian spy ring that devised a plot to follow and assassinate an Israeli nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute. Citing an indictment, Israeli media said the suspects, Palestinians from east Jerusalem, gathered information about the scientist and photographed the exterior of the Weizmann Institute but were arrested before they could proceed. With Iran's intelligence penetration into Israel far less successful than Israel's, those plots have not been seen through, making this week's strike on Weizmann that much more jarring. 'The Weizmann Institute has been in Iran's sights,' said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. He stressed that he did not know for certain whether Iran intended to strike the institute but believed it did. While it is a multidisciplinary research institute, Weizmann, like other Israeli universities, has ties to Israel's defense establishment, including collaborations with industry leaders like Elbit Systems, which is why it may have been targeted. But Guzansky said the institute primarily symbolizes 'Israeli scientific progress' and the strike against it shows Iran's thinking: 'You harm our scientists, so we are also harming scientific cadre.' Damage to the institute and labs 'literally decimated' Weizmann, founded in 1934 and later renamed after Israel's first president, ranks among the world's top research institutes. Its scientists and researchers publish hundreds of studies each year. One Nobel laureate in chemistry and three Turing Award laureates have been associated with the institute, which built the first computer in Israel in 1954. Two buildings were hit in the strike, including one housing life sciences labs and a second that was empty and under construction but meant for chemistry study, according to the institute. Dozens of other buildings were damaged. The campus has been closed since the strike, although media were allowed to visit Thursday. Large piles of rock, twisted metal and other debris were strewn on campus. There were shattered windows, collapsed ceiling panels and charred walls. A photo shared on X by one professor showed flames rising near a heavily damaged structure with debris scattered on the ground nearby. 'Several buildings were hit quite hard, meaning that some labs were literally decimated, really leaving nothing,' said Sarel Fleishman, a professor of biochemics who said he has visited the site since the strike. Life's work of many researchers is gone Many of those labs focus on the life sciences, whose projects are especially sensitive to physical damage, Fleishman said. The labs were studying areas like tissue generation, developmental biology or cancer, with much of their work now halted or severely set back by the damage. 'This was the life's work of many people,' he said, noting that years' or even decades' worth of research was destroyed. For Schuldiner, the damage means the lab he has worked at for 16 years 'is entirely gone. No trace. There is nothing to save.' In that once gleaming lab, he kept thousands of genetically modified flies used for research into the development of the human nervous system, which helped provide insights into autism and schizophrenia, he said. The lab housed equipment like sophisticated microscopes. Researchers from Israel and abroad joined hands in the study effort. 'All of our studies have stopped,' he said, estimating it would take years to rebuild and get the science work back on track. 'It's very significant damage to the science that we can create and to the contribution we can make to the world.'
UAE Moments
13 hours ago
- Politics
- UAE Moments
4 Filipinos Hurt in Iran's Missile Strike on Israel,
At least four Filipinos were injured in Rehovot City, Israel, following a missile attack launched by Iran over the weekend, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Sunday, June 15. The explosion struck a public park about 20 kilometers from Tel Aviv, where a group of Filipinos had gathered. It's unclear whether they were outside for leisure or had moved outdoors after hearing warnings of an incoming strike. Twelve other Filipinos were nearby but unharmed. Victims receive urgent help from Philippine Embassy A rapid response team from the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv was deployed immediately. Three victims suffered moderate to critical injuries when a missile struck their residence. One remains in critical condition. 'Our hearts go out to our kababayans affected by this attack,' said Ambassador Aileen Mendiola. 'We are doing everything possible to support them and their families during this time.' The embassy is working closely with Israeli authorities and Filipino community leaders to monitor and assist others possibly affected. Philippine Embassy Extends Assistance to Injured Filipinos Following Missile Strike Tel Aviv, 15 June 2025 — A rapid... Posted by Philippine Embassy in Israel on Sunday, June 15, 2025 Repatriation on standby as Alert Level 3 remains The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said repatriation efforts are ready if needed. While Alert Level 3—voluntary repatriation—is still in place for Israel, any escalation to Alert Level 4, which would require mandatory evacuation, needs DFA approval. Labor attachés and welfare officers are on standby. Filipinos in Israel, especially overseas workers, are advised to stay in touch with the embassy and heed safety advisories. Currently, around 20,000 Filipinos live in Israel, mostly working in caregiving, manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality sectors. Iran contingency plans prepared No Filipinos in Iran have reported injuries or requested aid so far. However, the DFA shared that evacuation plans are already being considered, with Turkmenistan identified as a possible exit route if needed. Emergency hotlines for OFWs Filipinos in conflict zones can contact the following numbers for immediate help: Israel Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv: +972 54 4661188 MWO: +972 50 7622590 OWWA Welfare Officer: +972 50 7156937 Lebanon Philippine Embassy in Beirut: +961 70 858 086 MWO Beirut: +961 79 110 729 Jordan Philippine Embassy: +962 7 7907 7775 / +962 7 7721 9000 Filipinos in the region are urged to stay alert, follow local security instructions, and stay in contact with Philippine officials.
Washington Post
19 hours ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Israeli scientists reel after Iranian missile strikes premier research institute
REHOVOT, Israel — For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran's nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it. Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields.
Associated Press
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Israeli scientists reel after Iranian missile strikes premier research institute
REHOVOT, Israel (AP) — For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran's nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it. Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields. While no one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, it caused heavy damage to multiple labs on campus, snuffing out years of scientific research and sending a chilling message to Israeli scientists that they and their expertise are now targets in the escalating conflict with Iran. 'It's a moral victory' for Iran, said Oren Schuldiner, a professor in the department of molecular cell biology and the department of molecular neuroscience whose lab was obliterated in the strike. 'They managed to harm the crown jewel of science in Israel.' Iranian scientists were a prime target in a long shadow war During years of a shadow war between Israel and Iran that preceded the current conflict, Israel repeatedly targeted Iranian nuclear scientists with the aim of setting back Iran's nuclear program. Israel continued that tactic with its initial blow against Iran days ago, killing multiple nuclear scientists, along with top generals, as well as striking nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure. For its part, Iran has been accused of targeting at least one Weizmann scientist before. Last year, Israeli authorities said they busted an Iranian spy ring that devised a plot to follow and assassinate an Israeli nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute. Citing an indictment, Israeli media said the suspects, Palestinians from east Jerusalem, gathered information about the scientist and photographed the exterior of the Weizmann Institute but were arrested before they could proceed. With Iran's intelligence penetration into Israel far less successful than Israel's, those plots have not been seen through, making this week's strike on Weizmann that much more jarring. 'The Weizmann Institute has been in Iran's sights,' said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. He stressed that he did not know for certain whether Iran intended to strike the institute but believed it did. While it is a multidisciplinary research institute, Weizmann, like other Israeli universities, has ties to Israel's defense establishment, including collaborations with industry leaders like Elbit Systems, which is why it may have been targeted. But Guzansky said the institute primarily symbolizes 'Israeli scientific progress' and the strike against it shows Iran's thinking: 'You harm our scientists, so we are also harming (your) scientific cadre.' Damage to the institute and labs 'literally decimated' Weizmann, founded in 1934 and later renamed after Israel's first president, ranks among the world's top research institutes. Its scientists and researchers publish hundreds of studies each year. One Nobel laureate in chemistry and three Turing Award laureates have been associated with the institute, which built the first computer in Israel in 1954. Two buildings were hit in the strike, including one housing life sciences labs and a second that was empty and under construction but meant for chemistry study, according to the institute. Dozens of other buildings were damaged. The campus has been closed since the strike, although media were allowed to visit Thursday. Large piles of rock, twisted metal and other debris were strewn on campus. There were shattered windows, collapsed ceiling panels and charred walls. A photo shared on X by one professor showed flames rising near a heavily damaged structure with debris scattered on the ground nearby. 'Several buildings were hit quite hard, meaning that some labs were literally decimated, really leaving nothing,' said Sarel Fleishman, a professor of biochemics who said he has visited the site since the strike. Life's work of many researchers is gone Many of those labs focus on the life sciences, whose projects are especially sensitive to physical damage, Fleishman said. The labs were studying areas like tissue generation, developmental biology or cancer, with much of their work now halted or severely set back by the damage. 'This was the life's work of many people,' he said, noting that years' or even decades' worth of research was destroyed. For Schuldiner, the damage means the lab he has worked at for 16 years 'is entirely gone. No trace. There is nothing to save.' In that once gleaming lab, he kept thousands of genetically modified flies used for research into the development of the human nervous system, which helped provide insights into autism and schizophrenia, he said. The lab housed equipment like sophisticated microscopes. Researchers from Israel and abroad joined hands in the study effort. 'All of our studies have stopped,' he said, estimating it would take years to rebuild and get the science work back on track. 'It's very significant damage to the science that we can create and to the contribution we can make to the world.' ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. This story was submitted to Israel's military censor, which made no changes.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
‘The shelter was full': Israelis confront unprecedented missile barrages
Tel Aviv, Israel – For the fourth night in a row, missiles have hit Israeli cities. Iran's retaliatory strikes, triggered by Israeli attacks, saw people sheltering in stairwells and bomb shelters as the scale of the damage and Iranian rockets managing to penetrate one of the world's most sophisticated defence systems have left many reeling. On Friday, Israel began its assault on Iran, targeting military and nuclear facilities and killing high-profile security, intelligence and military commanders as well as scientists. Israel's attacks, which have also targeted residential areas, have killed more than 224 people and wounded at least 1,481, according to Iranian authorities. The government said most of those killed and wounded have been civilians. In response, Iran has fired barrages of missiles towards Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. Hundreds of Iranian missiles have been launched since Friday, and Israel's air defence systems, though robust, have been unable to stop all of them. While the number of missiles fired by Iran appears to have gone down on a night-by-night basis, the scale of the attacks continues to be unprecedented for Israelis. Central Tel Aviv, Haifa, the scientific hub of Rehovot and homes have been struck. At least 24 people in Israel have been killed in the strikes and hundreds wounded. The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, a source of national pride and a cornerstone of Israeli military research, was among the hardest hit. Its laboratories were torn open, glass panes shattered, and cables and rebar left dangling. 'This isn't just damage to buildings,' said Jenia Kerimov, 34, a biology PhD candidate who lives nearby. 'It's years of research, equipment we can't easily replace, data that might be lost forever.' She had been in a bomb shelter a block away when the institute was struck. 'We're supposed to be helping protect the country. But now even our work, our home, feels exposed.' Shelters across the country are packed. In older neighbourhoods without bunkers, residents crowd into communal safe rooms. In Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem, stairwells have become makeshift bedrooms. The Israeli military's Home Front Command has evacuated hundreds of people to hotels after buildings that were hit were deemed uninhabitable. Yacov Shemesh, a retired social worker in West Jerusalem, said his wife has been sleeping on the stairs in their apartment block since the attacks began. 'There's no shelter in our building,' the 74-year-old explained. 'I went to the roof Sunday night to see what was happening. I saw a flash in the sky and then a boom. But I couldn't find anything in the news. Maybe they [the state] don't want us to know how close it came.' The barrage has triggered panic in a society long shaped by conflict – but where, until now, the destruction and wars were inflicted elsewhere – in Gaza, Jenin or southern Lebanon. Now, many Israelis are being confronted with destruction in their home cities for the first time. In Tel Aviv, long lines snaked through the aisles of a grocery store. Despite being crowded, the atmosphere was hushed as customers tapped their phones, their faces drawn tight. Gil Simchon, 38, a farmer from near the Ramat David Airbase, east of Haifa, stacked bottles of water in his arms. 'It's one thing to hear for decades about the Iranian threat,' he said, 'but another to see it with your own eyes – to see high rises in Tel Aviv hit.' On Monday night, he used a bomb shelter for the first time in his life. Even the Kirya, Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv, was struck although damage was limited. Iran's ability to hit such a fortified and symbolically vital target has deeply rattled a population raised on the reliability of its multilayered defence architecture. While much of Israel is covered by the Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow defence systems, officials admit these were not designed for a saturation attack involving ballistic missiles with heavy warheads. 'These aren't homemade rockets from Gaza,' one analyst said on Israeli television. 'These are battlefield weapons.' On Saturday night, the streets of West Jerusalem were quiet. One of the few lit spaces was a gym. Its owner gestured to the staircase descending underground. 'We're protected,' he said. Then with a smile, he added, 'Gymgoers are crazy. If you're working out at night, the gym had better be open.' Outside, the night air buzzed with tension. A neon sign flared against the darkness. A small group gathered, eyes fixed on the sky. Moments earlier, streaks of light had passed overhead. 'They're headed somewhere else – Haifa, I think,' a young man muttered. Minutes later, sirens wailed. Video soon appeared online showing flames erupting from a gas installation near Haifa. Initially, social media was flooded with footage of missile impacts – some from residential balconies, others from dashcams. By the third night, multiple reports were published of people being arrested for documenting the attacks while Israeli officials warned foreign media against breaking a ban on broadcasting such content, describing it as a security offence. Meanwhile, fears of power outages are growing. In Tel Aviv, drivers queued at petrol stations, anxious to keep their tanks full. A father strapped his children into the back seat before speeding away. His eyes flicked to the clouds, then the rear-view mirror. For some Israelis abroad, a feeling of helplessness has deepened. Eran, 37, who lives and works in New York, spoke to his elderly parents near the city of Beit Shemesh. 'They've gone to shelters before, but this time, the fear was different,' he tells Al Jazeera. 'The shelter was full. When they returned home, they found pieces of interceptor debris in the yard.' Eran, a former conscientious objector who refused Israel's mandatory military draft – for which he spent time in jail – and asked to use a pseudonym for fear of state reprisal upon his return to Israel, has long been critical of Israeli policies. Now watching his family in danger, he feels more certain than ever. 'Israel claims to act for all Jews,' he said. 'But its crimes in Gaza and elsewhere just bring danger to families like mine. Even in New York, it impacts me.' For others, the picture is murkier. 'I don't know any more where the line is between protecting ourselves and making it worse,' Gil said. 'You grow up believing we're defending something. But now, the missiles, the shelters, the fear – it feels like a cycle we can't see out of.' The Israeli government, meanwhile, has struck a belligerent tone, promising to make Tehran 'pay a heavy price'. But in the shelters, tension is mixed with exhaustion and a growing recognition that something fundamental has changed. 'It's like the feeling of a meat lover after they visit a meat-packing factory,' Gil said quietly. 'You grow up on it, you believe in it – but when you see how it's made, it makes you uneasy.' This piece was published in collaboration with Egab.
