Israel Strikes Iranian Nuclear Reactor as Iran Hits Israeli Hospital in Escalating Conflict

Iran struck Soroka hospital in Be'er Shiva, Israel, with a ballistic missile.

A major escalation unfolded in the Middle East on Thursday as Israel launched airstrikes targeting a critical Iranian nuclear facility while Iran retaliated with dozens of ballistic missiles, including direct hits on civilian centers in Israel, leaving scores injured and significant infrastructure damaged.

Israeli forces confirmed that the Khondab nuclear site near Arak was struck overnight. The target included a partially constructed heavy water research reactor—an installation that produces plutonium usable in nuclear weapons. The Israeli military said the strike was part of its ongoing campaign to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Emergency personnel assist a man and a child following a strike from Iran on Israel, in Ramat Gan, Israel, on June 19, 2025.

In a coordinated counterattack, Iranian forces launched a barrage of missiles that struck multiple sites in Israel. Among the hardest hit was the Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheba, southern Israel’s main hospital. The medical facility suffered direct impact, prompting a lockdown to all new admissions except life-threatening cases. At least 40 people were injured in the hospital attack, and videos circulating online revealed extensive internal damage.

“Dozens of ballistic missiles were launched at Israel in the last barrage from Iran, with several hitting civilian population centers,” said an Israeli military official. “IDF Homefront Command Search and Rescue teams have been dispatched to the reported impact zones.”

The Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba took a direct hit and sustained severe damage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the Iranian attacks and pledged severe retaliation. “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” he posted on social media. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant echoed the threat, accusing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of committing war crimes and vowing expanded military operations targeting strategic and government sites in Tehran.

Prior to the Israeli airstrike, the Israel Defense Forces issued an urgent evacuation warning on social media, including satellite imagery showing the Khondab site circled in red. Iranian media confirmed that the site was fully evacuated before the strike, minimizing risk to civilian lives. While two projectiles reportedly landed near the facility, no radiation leaks have been reported.

Emergency personnel stand near a damaged building following a strike by Iran on Israel, in Ramat Gan, Israel, on June 19, 2025.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the targeted heavy water research reactor had been struck, but clarified that it did not contain radioactive material. A separate plant at the site, which manufactures heavy water, was reportedly unharmed. The facility was last inspected by the IAEA on May 14.

The strike on Arak is part of a broader Israeli campaign, now in its seventh day, to weaken Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Previous strikes have hit enrichment facilities in Isfahan and Natanz, and Israel has reportedly eliminated high-ranking Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, aiming to cripple Iran’s strategic response capabilities.

A woman carries her child at an impact site following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Ramat Gan

Meanwhile, U.S. officials continue to weigh potential involvement in the conflict. Former President Donald Trump commented that decisions on American engagement were still under consideration. “Things change with war. It can go from one extreme to the other,” he said during a Situation Room briefing on Wednesday.

Israel has formally requested access to American bunker-buster bombs to target Iran’s fortified underground nuclear enrichment plant in Fordow.

Human rights organizations report that since the start of Israel’s air campaign last week, at least 639 people in Iran have been killed, including 263 civilians. Iranian counterstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 24 Israelis, with hundreds more injured.