"I never imagined I would find my children alive." Residents of the Galilee village of Zarzir on Friday were still assessing the extensive damage to homes and property after a direct hit by a ballistic missile launched from Iran overnight.
About 60 residents were injured in the strike. One person was hospitalized in moderate condition, while the rest sustained light injuries. Nearly 300 homes were damaged.
Residents of Zarzir recount the moment the Iranian missile struck
(Video: Hassan Shaalan)
Three alerts from Israel’s Home Front Command warning of launches from Iran were sent overnight to residents’ phones across the Galilee, the Golan Heights and the valleys. Minutes after one of the alerts, one of the missiles struck Zarzir directly — a community where many young residents serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
"I woke up to the siren and didn’t have time to reach the safe room," said resident Khaled Ghrayefat. "My five children were in the safe room, and suddenly there was a huge explosion. Everything was smoke, there was no electricity, and I started searching for the children in the dark."
Ghrayefat said he feared the worst as he struggled to locate them.
"I heard the children screaming and couldn’t find them for five minutes," he said. "Suddenly my wife opened the safe room door and literally flew into the air. She was bleeding, and we started looking for the children together. Two of them have special needs, and it was hard to find them. I started shouting 'help' from the window, and only then did we find the children. My wife suffered many blows to her back from metal and glass."
Extensive damage was also reported at the home of Salah Ghrayefat.
"There isn’t a single window left in place, not a single door left standing," he said. "The blast was enormous. There is heavy damage to cars and property. I recommend everyone follow the Home Front Command’s instructions and stay in a protected space even if you don’t have a safe room. It’s hard to even describe what I experienced. I was slightly injured in the face, and others were hurt more seriously."
Inside his home — or what remained of it — the destruction was visible throughout.
"There is massive damage on the balcony, the ceiling collapsed, and there is destruction in the living room and the kitchen," Salah said. "The television flew from its place, nothing is left. Both of our cars were damaged. Everything flew apart like biscuits. All the windows were blown out and the children’s bedrooms were destroyed. I urge the government to make a wise decision to end the war. We are all suffering and continue to suffer."
Another resident, Hamza Ghrayefat, said the impact shook the entire house.
"It took us almost 10 minutes to understand what had happened," he said. "The children were screaming and my wife couldn’t walk. We started calling for help from people around us. People came and managed to force the door open. Thank God everyone came out alive."
Zarzir council head Atef Ghrayefat said heavy damage was recorded at one of the impact sites and that one house was "completely destroyed."
According to him, the missile struck about six to seven meters from homes in the neighborhood, and nearby houses were devastated.
"Nearly 300 homes were damaged by the blast," he said. "Those who were inside safe rooms were saved, and those who were outside were injured."
Footage of the destruction inside homes in Zarzir
Another resident, Mousa Ghrayefat, whose home was damaged, said he was still struggling to comprehend the attack.
"I’m in shock. I still don’t understand what happened," he said. "I woke up like a madman — God protect us. We didn’t believe it would be like this, that missiles from Iran would reach us. It’s a shock. All my brothers were injured, my grandson too, my wife — they are all in the hospital."
Mohammed and Ahmed Ghrayefat, who were lightly injured in the strike, said the experience was harrowing.
"We saw death," they said. "We survived by a miracle. We call on everyone not to stay outside during the sirens."