The missile damage inflicted by Iran’s strikes on Israel earlier this year has reached record levels, according to the Israel Tax Authority. Officials said that within just 12 days, a record 53,599 claims for direct damage were filed.
“The direct damage is now estimated at no less than NIS 4 billion ($1.1 billion), and the indirect damage, which has yet to be calculated, will amount to several billion more,” said Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich. The figures include the heavy damage sustained at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Soroka Medical Center and the long-term shutdown of many businesses.
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A neighborhood in central Israel damaged in Iranian missile strike
(Photo: AP/Ariel Schalit)
Of the total, 9,803 claims were filed through a fast-track process. Property claims were by far the largest category, with 41,962 filed for damaged structures—36,928 of them for private residences. Hundreds of homes were completely destroyed and will have to be rebuilt, a process that could take months or even years. In the meantime, the state will need to cover the cost of alternative housing for displaced residents.
Damage to businesses also reached record levels, with 5,108 claims filed, including hundreds of shops and offices destroyed beyond repair. In total, 28,129 direct-damage claims were processed within two months, the authority said.
Vehicle damage claims were also unprecedented: at least 5,400 cars were destroyed or damaged in the missile fire.
So far, the Property Tax Compensation Fund has paid out about 1.6 billion shekels ($430 million) in direct damage compensation. Claims for indirect damage surged to 98,569 in just 12 days of fighting—nearly double the number of direct claims. Of these, 59,959 have already been processed, with about 1 billion shekels ($270 million) paid in partial compensation.
Officials warned that the final total—factoring in both direct and indirect damages—will end up “several times higher” than the current estimates.