Direct strike on civilian refuge shocks nation as rescue forces race against time.
Nine people were killed Sunday after a direct missile strike hit a shelter in Beit Shemesh, causing extensive destruction and leaving dozens injured.
Medical teams treated two victims in serious condition, three in moderate condition, and 18 others who sustained light injuries. Emergency responders, security personnel, and search and rescue units continued operating at the scene hours after the impact, combing through debris to locate additional victims.
Police reported that as of 6:20 p.m. local time, 11 individuals remained unaccounted for. Authorities stated that efforts were ongoing to determine whether anyone was trapped beneath the rubble.
The missile struck the roof of a shelter where residents had gathered after red alert sirens sounded. In a separate incident during the same barrage, a 50-year-old man was moderately injured by shrapnel in a central Israeli community.
Magen David Adom emergency medical technician Yosef Laufer described arriving at a scene of heavy structural damage. Multiple ambulances and mobile intensive care units were dispatched following the initial report. Among the casualties treated was a 10-year-old girl in serious condition. Medical teams remain at the site to assist additional victims as they are rescued.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Home Front Command search and rescue units, medical teams, and an evacuation helicopter were deployed to the impact zone. The commander of the Home Front Command traveled to the scene to oversee operations.
According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, a preliminary review found that the early warning system functioned as intended and was activated in the Beit Shemesh area. The circumstances surrounding the missile’s impact are currently under investigation.
