Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered a fiery response after a missile strike—believed to have been orchestrated by Iranian proxy forces—hit Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva and several civilian areas in central Israel early Thursday morning.
Standing amid the hospital corridors, just steps away from patients who couldn’t flee for their lives, Netanyahu did not mince words.
“They want to destroy every single one of us—down to the last person,” he said, his tone somber and resolute. “I think that says it all.”
A Visit Marked by Pain and Resolve
Netanyahu was accompanied by Health Minister and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, both visibly shaken as they toured the damage at Soroka Hospital. The Prime Minister expressed outrage that a medical facility—a place meant to heal, protect, and nurture life—had been targeted in the attack.
“There’s a children’s and infants’ ward not far from here,” he noted, clearly emotional. “These are the people they are targeting—babies, the elderly, the sick. People who can’t even get up and run.”
A Stark Contrast in Conduct
Netanyahu used the moment to draw a sharp contrast between Israeli military operations and those of their adversaries.
“We hit nuclear and missile sites with precision,” he said. “They aim for hospitals. That’s the difference between a democracy that follows the law to protect its people and those who operate with no regard for life.”
His words were not just an accusation—they were a plea to the world to understand what’s at stake.
Mounting Tensions, Growing Casualties
While official figures remain fluid, Israeli authorities say at least 24 people have died from recent Iranian attacks. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted only 10 incoming missiles on Tuesday night, suggesting a shift in the scale or strategy of the threat.
The missile strike on Soroka Hospital is the latest in a rapid escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran. What began as preemptive strikes by Israel has now spilled into open confrontation, threatening to engulf the region in wider conflict.
“We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” Netanyahu said earlier in the week, signaling that Israel is preparing for further response.
Caught in the Crossfire
As leaders speak, civilians continue to suffer. Families in Be’er Sheva woke to the sound of explosions, terrified children were rushed to safer zones, and hospitals now carry not just the wounded, but the psychological weight of becoming targets.
At Soroka, doctors and nurses who have treated victims of terror for years now find themselves under direct threat. And still, they press on.
As Netanyahu and his delegation left the hospital, one thing was clear: this conflict, like so many before it, is leaving scars that go far beyond the battlefield. And unless diplomacy takes center stage soon, the toll—both in lives and humanity—will only grow.
