An Iranian missile strike in central Israel wounded 11 people and caused widespread damage in Moshav Eshtaol, near Beit Shemesh, on Saturday.
The strike was part of a barrage larger than most launched in the past two weeks and included multiple missiles.
Iranian missile strike in central Israel wounds 11, damages homes near Beit Shemesh
(Video: Alex Kolomoisky, MDA)
All 11 victims were lightly wounded, with injuries caused by blast effects and while people rushed to protected spaces.
Two impact craters were identified at the scene, about 10 meters (33 feet) apart, and damage extended across a radius of about 150 meters (490 feet). Several homes were damaged, along with a parking area where vehicles were destroyed.
Among the injured were a man in his 50s with a broken arm and two women in their 60s with injuries. Others included a man in his 70s struck by debris from a collapsing roof, a man in his 20s hit by a window blown out by the blast, a man in his 40s injured by a flying doorframe, and a woman in her 40s hurt by the shockwave. Four others were lightly wounded at another impact site. Several people were treated for anxiety.
“We saw destruction and people walking around fully conscious,” said Magen David Adom paramedic Elad Kadmon. “We provided initial treatment to the lightly wounded and scanned the area to make sure there were no additional casualties.”
Fire commander Zacharia Rafael described a large scene with damage to multiple structures, adding that crews were conducting searches to rule out trapped residents and address secondary hazards.
Police, bomb disposal units, border police officers and volunteers were also operating at the scene. Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled conducted an assessment with emergency services.
In a separate incident, another Iranian missile struck an open area in the Negev near Ashalim, creating a large crater. No injuries were reported.
First published: 14:52, 03.28.26