Video emerges of Iran’s ‘direct missile strike’ on Israel’s Soroka hospital, patient recalls horrific moment

In the aftermath of an Iranian missile striking Soroka Medical Centre, the largest hospital in southern Israel, early Thursday, visuals of the destruction surfaced on social media. The horrors having unfolded at the hospital led to at least 71 people getting injured, according to Israel’s ministry of health.

“The Iranian regime targeted Soroka Hospital in Beersheba with a ballistic missile—hitting a major medical center. We will not stand by. We will continue doing what must be done to defend our people,” the official Israel account run by the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Officials also shared a video of the escalation, which showed hospital employees trying to make sense of the chaos while running across the hall. Smoke can also be seen visibly consuming the place due to the destructive consequences of the air strike.

IDF addresses Iran’s attack on Soroka Hospital

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) shared a statement, saying, “Several hits were identified as a result of the missile barrage — one of them hitting the largest hospital in southern Israel. More details will follow.”

In addition to the visuals peeking inside the hospital after the attack, another heart-rending footage gaining traction on social media captures the very moment an Iranian missile struck the hospital. An account that goes ‘SorokaFriends’ on X and is run by “American Friends of Soroka Medical Centre” also confirmed the “direct missile strike” on X.

Sharing a picture of the devastating impact, the account tweeted, “Today, Soroka suffered a direct ballistic missile strike causing severe damage, forcing the suspension of all non-emergency services. Soroka, in Be’er Sheva, is the only major medical center for the entire south of Israel, a diverse region that is 30% Bedouin Arab.” Their statement also emphasised that the ravaging impact of the attack was still being assessed.

Meanwhile, the IDF also issued a video statement addressing the Iranian missile strike on Soroka Hospital. “Early this morning, an Iranian ballistic missile directly hit the Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva. This hospital serves over one million Israelis, including Bedouins, Jews, Christians and Arabs alike…Iran targets civilians; we target an existential threat that endangers global security,” said Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin.

We will do whatever it takes to dismantle the threat, says IDF spokesperson

They also shared a full overview of the hospital, revealing how the attack had left behind tatters. Although the building still seemed to be standing at the time of writing, scenes from inside were nothing short of shocking. In a follow-up statement, the IDF spokesperson returned to a reiterate why Iran must not be permitted to possess nuclear weapons.

Standing inside Soroka Hospital, Defrin said, “This is exactly the face of this regime. It’s a terror regime. We’re targetting military targets, and they are targettign civilians… aiming to kill as many civilians as they can. And this is exactly why we launched this operation. We cannot allow Iran obtain nuclear weapons. We cannot allow obtain Iran obtain ballistic missile.”

Calling it an “existential” and “imminent” threat for Israel, he added, “We will do whatever we can in order to dismantle this threat.”

Eyewitnesses, patients and Soroka Hospital staff speak out

BBC further reported that upon their arrival at the site of the attack several hours after the impact, black smoke was still swelling outwards. Pieces of twisted metal shrapnel, some left behind by the missile, were scattered all over the hospital complex.

While officials continued voicing their outrage, Alon Uzi, a patient receiving treatment in the emergency department at the time, said that he was lying in the bed when it all happened. “I heard a big boom. And before I could do anything, there was an explosion and part of the ceiling fell and I was covered with white dust,” he told the outlet.

He asserted that there was barely any time to get out of bed and reach the shelter in time. Medical staff have since told reporters that patients had been shifted to the hospital’s emergency shelters underground.

Extensive damage incurred

Additionally, Prof Asher Bashiri, director of the maternity ward, said, “The upper part of the building is cracked, and fire was coming from it in the first hours. Everything looks broken.” Calling themselves very lucky, he noted that it could have transpired into something so much worse. Directing focus to the uncertainty of it all, he continued, ” But we are still living in an unbelievable situation. It’s not finished – I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or the next day. We’re just happy that we’re alive.”

Moreover, Shlomi Codish, the hospital director, noted that the northern surgical building had been impacted, leaving several wards demolished. He confirmed that the entire hospital had sustained extensive damage. They not expect to transfer over 200 patients to other medical centres. “We’re trying to minimise the number of people; we don’t know if building might collapse or if wards might collapse.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since condemned the missile strike, saying, “This morning, ‘Iran’s terrorist tyrants’ launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at a civilian population in central Israel,” as quoted by Reuters.

As per the Associated Press, the Soroko Hospital in southern Israel has over 1,000 beds and tends to nearly 1 million people in the region.