Latest news with #WeizmannInstituteofScience
Straits Times
28 minutes ago
- Science
- Straits Times
Israeli scientists scramble to save work after Iranian missile hits labs
Professor Roee Ozeri speaks to the media surrounded by rubble at the campus of the Weizmann Institute caused by an Iranian missile strike on Sunday, in Rehovot, Israel. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura A building at the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science remains damaged following an Iranian missile strike on Sunday, in Rehovot, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura A building at the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science remains damaged after an Iranian missile strike on Sunday, in Rehovot, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura A building at the campus of the Weizmann Institute of Science remains damaged following an Iranian missile strike on Sunday, in Rehovot, Israel June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura REHOVOT, Israel - Researchers at Israel's prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science have been scrambling to save their experiments after an Iranian missile destroyed a building containing dozens of cutting-edge laboratories. The missile struck the institute's campus at Rehovot, on the southern periphery of Tel Aviv, in the early hours of Sunday, damaging multiple buildings and prompting researchers to clamber into the ruins to save samples even as fire raged. No one was hurt as the campus was empty overnight, but one part of a building collapsed entirely, while in the remaining part the walls were blown out, exposing a tangle of twisted metal, blasted debris and blackened cement. "We did our best to save as much of the samples as we could from the labs, from the buildings, while we were fighting the fire," physicist Roee Ozeri, Weizmann's vice president for development and communications, told Reuters. Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel. Israel's strikes have killed several prominent Iranian nuclear scientists, wiped out the top echelon of Iran's military command, damaged nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of civilians. Iran's attacks have killed 24 civilians in Israel and damaged hundreds of structures, including a hospital in the southern city of Beersheba. Iran has not said if or why it targeted the Weizmann Institute. While most of the institute's research is in areas with potential benefits for medicine and scientific knowledge, it also has connections with defence. It announced in October 2024 a collaboration with Israel's largest defence firm Elbit on "bio-inspired materials for defence applications". A multidisciplinary institution which carries out research in fields including genetics, immunology and astrophysics, Weizmann was founded in 1934 and is considered world-class within the international scientific community. It is Israel's most important science research institute, with 286 research groups, 191 staff scientists and hundreds of PhD students, master's students and postdoctoral fellows. 'EVERYTHING IS LOST' The Iranian missile hit the work of researchers such as Eldad Tzahor, who focuses on regenerative medicine with particular relevance to adult heart diseases. He said many samples and tissues that had been part of long-running experiments had been destroyed. "Everything is lost," he told Reuters TV. "I would estimate that it will take us about a year to get into a full year of research and with everything working again." In financial terms, the damage is estimated at $300-$500 million, according to the institute, which operates costly, complex machines, often shared between several labs or research groups. Jacob Hanna, who runs a molecular genetics team focused on embryonic stem cell biology, told the scientific journal Nature that his lab's ceiling had collapsed and the staircase had detached. His students managed to save hundreds of frozen mouse and human cell lines by transferring them to back-up liquid-nitrogen tanks that Hanna had stored in the basement, Nature reported. "I was always worried that if a war actually happens, I don't want to lose these," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Israel killed several Iranian nuclear scientists. Then, Iran hit back
In an escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel, Tehran appears to have struck back after the targeted assassinations of several Iranian nuclear scientists by Israel. A missile launched by Iran hit the prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, heavily damaging multiple research facilities and signalling a chilling new front in the widening conflict, one that directly targets scientific institutions and personnel. The missile strike, which did not result in any casualties, caused widespread destruction on the Rehovot campus, decimating labs, wrecking years of research, and sending shockwaves through Israel's scientific community. Two buildings were directly hit, including one dedicated to life sciences. Another structure, under construction and designated for chemistry research, was also badly damaged. Dozens of other buildings sustained collateral damage. Professor Oren Schuldiner, a neuroscientist whose lab of 16 years was obliterated, said: 'It's a moral victory for Iran. They managed to harm the crown jewel of science in Israel.' The attack follows a string of Israeli operations targeting Iran's nuclear program. Just days earlier, Israel had launched overnight airstrikes on several Iranian sites, including the headquarters of SPND, Iran's primary research organisation for nuclear weapons development. Those strikes reportedly killed multiple Iranian nuclear scientists and top military officials. By targeting the Weizmann Institute, a global leader in scientific research with strong ties to Israel's defence establishment, Iran appears to be delivering a message: Israeli scientists, long shielded from the frontlines of this shadow war, are no longer off-limits. Dr Yoel Guzansky, senior analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv said: 'The Weizmann Institute symbolises Israeli scientific achievement…Iran is saying: you killed our scientists, now we're coming for yours,' Associated Press reported. The damage is both physical and psychological. According to scientists at the institute, years of research into cancer, tissue regeneration, and neurological disorders were lost. Labs containing genetically modified organisms, advanced microscopes, and irreplaceable data were destroyed. While Iran has previously attempted to target Israeli scientists, including an aborted assassination plot uncovered last year, Sunday's missile strike marks the first successful and direct attack on Israeli scientific infrastructure, AP reported. Founded in 1934, the Weizmann Institute has long been a symbol of Israeli innovation. Its alumni include Nobel laureates and Turing Award winners, and its collaborations with defence companies like Elbit Systems have further underscored its strategic value. Though the campus has since been closed, journalists allowed inside described scenes of devastation, collapsed ceilings, shattered glass, scorched walls, and debris-strewn hallways. 'All of our studies have stopped…Rebuilding will take years,' Professor Schuldiner said. 'This isn't just an attack on a building, it's an attack on knowledge, on our future, and on our ability to contribute to the world.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Science
- Time of India
Iran destroys Israel's $50 million science treasure, Weizmann Institute, marking one of the war's most costly strikes
The Iran-Israel standoff is steadily worsening over time and is reaching a point of no return. Israel's famous Weizmann Institute of Science has been badly damaged by Iran's missile attack. Shortly after Iran issued a terrifying warning to Israel and its allies, the incident happened. Two buildings and thousands of hours of research, samples, and studies at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot were destroyed in the strike that took place two days ago, as per a report by the Daily Express. What kind of research was lost in the strike? The institute, known for its cutting-edge research in the life sciences, lost over 45 labs and decades of irreplaceable research. This was one of the war's biggest losses in terms of culture and science. Scientists from all over the world have since come together to help the broken school. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo The attack destroyed labs that were studying neurodevelopmental disorders, cancer, and adult heart disease. A life science building is on the list of destroyed buildings. The $50 million "crown jewel" of Israeli science is destroyed in a devastating blow by an Iranian ballistic missile, as per a report by The Daily Express. "It's completely gone," said Professor Oren Schuldiner, whose lab was destroyed. 'Not a trace. Nothing can be saved.' Live Events ALSO READ: Iran news: Israel faces massive air defense crunch as Arrow interceptors run low and US stockpiles dwindle After 16 years of dedication to his lab, Schuldiner has completely lost everything. "This was the life's work of many people," he told The Times of Israel, highlighting how the attack destroyed decades of study. Why is the Weizmann Institute so important? The Weizmann Institute is a world-renowned research center that was founded in 1934 and subsequently named after Israel's first president. It boasts three Turing Award winners, one chemistry Nobel laureate, and hundreds of papers published each year by its scholars. Notably, in 1954, the institute invented the first computer in Israel. The lab successfully restored heart tissue in mice in 2015, and in 2018, they released research that could eventually result in new treatments for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. The building is now in ruins, with labs destroyed and windows broken. According to Sarel Fleishman, a biochemistry professor who visited the location following the strike, many of these labs concentrate on life sciences, with projects that are especially susceptible to physical harm. Many of the labs' studies in fields like cancer, developmental biology, and tissue generation were now stopped or significantly hampered by the damage. The lab that studied heart biology was among the approximately forty-five labs that were destroyed. A professor's lab, which contained 22 years of research and priceless scientific specimens like genetic material and heart tissues, is now in ruins. "It's very significant damage to the science that they can create and to the contribution they can make to the world." The institute is a symbol of "Israeli scientific progress" and Iran's attack reflects its mentality, which is that "you harm our scientists, so we are also harming (your) scientific cadre," a professor stated, as per a report. FAQs What was destroyed at the Weizmann Institute? Two major buildings and more than 45 labs, including one dedicated to heart disease and another to neurodevelopmental disorders, were destroyed, along with years of critical research and samples. Why did Iran target Weizmann Institute? While the institute represents Israeli scientific progress, analysts believe Iran targeted it in retaliation for previous Israeli actions against Iranian scientists, viewing it as both a symbolic and strategic blow.
Saba Yemen
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
losses of "Weizmann" Institute about two billion shekels due to Iranian bombing
Occupied Quds - Saba: The Israeli economic newspaper "Calcalist" reported, in a report, Thursday, that the estimates at the Weizmann Institute of Science indicate that "the extent of the damage caused to him, as a result of a missile injury, last Sunday, is two billion shekels." The report indicates that three research buildings are damaged, and another large number of buildings were injured. This estimate includes "material damage, only, which were caused by the infrastructure at the institute, and does not include the grave losses caused by scientific research, due to the loss of rare samples and materials that were developed at the institute, or were used as a basis for advanced research," according to the newspaper. An official told Calcalist, "The cost of establishing an empty laboratory building may reach 50 million dollars, and with advanced equipment, the cost may rise to 100 million dollars." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Egypt Today
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Egypt Today
Egypt's FM phone calls Iranian counterpart, Witkoff to de-escalate military conflict in the region
CAIRO – 20 June 2025: In a bid to contain the military escalation between Israel and Iran, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty made two phone calls with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Friday. Minister Abdelatty reiterated the need to exert all efforts to de-escalate and achieve a ceasefire, and to utilize the available diplomatic channels to contain the escalating situation and neutralize the risk of a comprehensive escalation of the situation in the Middle East. Abdelatty stressed the need to work to prevent the expansion of the conflict and the region from sliding into total chaos, the repercussions of which would not be immune. He reiterated the importance of exhausting all diplomatic and political channels to reach a sustainable agreement on the Iranian nuclear program. Since the outbreak of the war between Iran and Israel on June 13, Egypt has exerted tremendous diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict in which hundreds of people were killed and thousands were injured. The war started when Israel, which has nuclear weapon and not a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), launched missile and drones towards Tehran and killed hundreds of nuclear scientists, military leaders and civilians to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Israeli missiles and drones have targeted several nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, Arak and Fordow, causing a minor level of radiation leakage as it was reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Israel, which is totally backed by the US, seeks to be the only country in the region that has nuclear weapons. In retaliation, Iran fired hundreds hypersonic missiles and drones on Israel, causing severe damage to buildings besides the Weizmann Institute of Science, Haifa refinery, and the Gav-Yam Negev Advanced Technologies Park. Israel, which continues its genocidal war on Gaza despite its war with Iran, attempts to draw the US in its conflict with Iran to also topple the Iranian Islamic regime, led by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. However, Tehran, along with its regional allies in the Middle East in Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen, threatened if the US entered the war, the US interests in the Middle East will be targeted.
