Will exact full price from tyrants: Netanyahu as Iranian missile hits Israel's largest hospital

IANS June 19, 2025 292 views

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged retaliation after an Iranian missile strike hit Soroka Medical Center, Israel’s largest hospital. The attack injured patients and staff, prompting outrage from medical and political leaders. Defence Minister Israel Katz accused Iran’s Supreme Leader of war crimes, vowing to escalate military action. Medical officials condemned the strike as deliberate targeting of civilians, calling for international condemnation.

"We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran." — Benjamin Netanyahu
Tel Aviv, June 19: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed a fierce response against what he called the "terrorist tyrants" in Tehran, after a direct Iranian ballistic missile strike hit Soroka Medical Center -- Israel's largest hospital -- in Beersheba, leaving several patients, doctors, and staff seriously injured.

Key Points

1

Iran launched 30 ballistic missiles at Israel

2

Soroka Hospital in Beersheba hit, causing severe damage

3

Netanyahu and Katz vow intensified strikes on Tehran

4

Medical chief calls attack a war crime

As the Israel-Iran conflict entered its seventh day, Iran reportedly launched around 30 ballistic missiles targeting multiple sites in Israel.

One of the missiles struck the Soroka Hospital complex, causing substantial damage, particularly to its old surgical building.

Emergency services are now operational only for critical cases, while Home Front Command soldiers conduct structural inspections of all buildings on-site.

Netanyahu, in a post on X, said: "This morning, Iran's terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and at a civilian population in the centre of the country. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran."

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also condemned the strike, directly accusing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei of authorising deliberate attacks on civilians.

"The cowardly Iranian dictator sits in the depths of the fortified bunker and fires aimed shots at hospitals and residential buildings in Israel. These are war crimes of the most serious kind -- and Khamenei will be held accountable for his crimes," Katz said on X.

"The Prime Minister and I have instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of attacks against strategic targets in Iran and against government targets in Tehran in order to remove threats to the State of Israel and undermine the ayatollahs' regime," he added.

The missile attack has provoked outrage across Israel's medical and political community.

Zion Hagay, Chairman of the Israel Medical Association, termed the strike a blatant war crime and demanded a firm international response.

"The eyes of the whole world should be turned this morning to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba to understand what a war crime really looks like," Hagay said.

"While Israel targets security objectives, the Iranians deliberately shoot at population centres to harm as many civilians as possible," he added.

He credited the hospital's emergency preparedness for averting what could have been an even greater catastrophe.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments on the Israel-Iran conflict news:
R
Rajesh K.
Targeting hospitals is unacceptable in any conflict. As Indians who've seen wars, we know civilians always suffer the most. Both sides need to show restraint before this escalates further. The UN must intervene immediately.
P
Priya M.
This is heartbreaking 💔 Doctors and patients should never be targets. India has good relations with both countries - maybe our diplomats can help mediate? We've successfully evacuated Indians from conflict zones before, hope all our citizens there are safe.
A
Amit S.
While Iran's attack on hospital is condemnable, let's not forget Israel has bombed hospitals in Gaza too. Both sides need accountability. India should maintain balanced diplomacy - we import oil from Iran and defense tech from Israel.
N
Neha V.
The Middle East conflict affects global oil prices and our economy. Hope our government is preparing contingency plans. Also, we have large Jewish and Parsi communities in India - hope there's no spillover effect on communal harmony here.
S
Sanjay D.
India should learn from Israel's missile defense systems. With threats from both Pakistan and China, we need similar capabilities. The Iron Dome has saved countless lives - why can't DRDO develop something equivalent?
K
Kavita R.
As a doctor, this news makes me sick. Medical facilities are sacred spaces under Geneva conventions. The international community's selective outrage is disappointing - where was this anger when Yemeni hospitals were bombed? Humanity should come first, not geopolitics.

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Tags:
Israel-Iran conflict Benjamin Netanyahu Soroka Hospital Iran missile strike war crimes