Hours after reports of a direct hit in Rehovot on Sunday, images have emerged showing the extent of the damage caused by an Iranian ballistic missile that struck near the Weizmann Institute of Science.
The blast inflicted widespread destruction across a large radius, though no casualties were reported on campus.
According to The New York Times, footage from the scene showed at least one laboratory building on fire. The article quoted Alan Monziani, a PhD student from Italy who resides in the institute’s dormitories. “It’s hard to say if it was a direct hit or shrapnel,” he said, describing shattered glass and fire breaking out at the site.
The Weizmann Institute confirmed that several buildings had been damaged and said: “Following the missile barrage launched early this morning, several buildings on the Weizmann Institute campus were hit. There were no injuries. The institute is in close contact with the relevant security and emergency authorities and is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of staff and campus facilities.”
Rehovot’s central train station sustained blast damage in the attack. Rolling shutters were bent, windows shattered on Platform 1 and elevator doors were blown out of place. Part of the platform canopy collapsed, and access doors were dislodged. Israel Railways logistics teams and Israel Electric Company representatives have been working at the site. The station did not open to passengers.
At another impact site in Rehovot, just a few kilometers from the institute, 37 people were injured—two seriously, 12 moderately and 23 lightly. Significant damage was caused to buildings and shops within hundreds of meters, and fires broke out at several locations. Firefighters, Home Front Command units, police and emergency responders searched apartment buildings—unit by unit—for victims and survivors. Residents were evacuated, many still in pajamas and light clothing.
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Outside one building that sustained a direct hit, family members wept as they waited for news. “I’m afraid something happened to my father,” said one of them. Home Front Command officials reassured the crowd, confirming that all evacuees had been rescued alive. Nearby, ZAKA emergency response volunteers stood by, hoping they wouldn’t be needed. “Let’s hope we stay idle,” one said quietly.
Iranian missile impact site in Rehovot
(Video: Kobi Kuenkas)
Meir Doron, a resident of the street, is currently staying at a temporary evacuation center set up in a local elementary school. “The rockets are chasing my son,” he said. “He came to us from Tel Aviv with his dog after rockets fell near him there. I told him, ‘Come to Rehovot, it’s quiet here.’ And now it hit right next to us. I don’t scare easily, but the blast was terrifying. We waited until we got the all-clear to leave the shelter. The sight of our home was devastating—total destruction. But the safe room saved our lives.”
Moshe Barhanan, who was injured and is now hospitalized in the orthopedic ward at Kaplan Medical Center, told Ynet his home has no reinforced shelter. “After the explosion, I was hit in the bones and fell to the floor. I couldn’t see anything,” he recalled. “I yelled to my friend, ‘Where are you?’ I thought he was dead. Three young people came and pulled me out. They were shouting, and I started shouting too. At first, I thought I was fine, but a few minutes later, the pain set in.”