Iranian Missile Strike Kills Nine in Beit Shemesh, Israel
Beit Shemesh, Israel – An Iranian ballistic missile strike on Sunday resulted in the deaths of nine people in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, with over 40 others injured, according to reports from The Times of Israel and Al Jazeera. The attack, which targeted a residential neighborhood, destroyed a synagogue and severely damaged a public bomb shelter.
Among the victims identified are Ronit and Sara Elimelech, a mother and daughter. Ronit Elimelech, 45, was a volunteer with the United Hatzalah emergency service. She and her three children were seeking shelter in the synagogue’s bomb shelter when the missile struck. Two of her children sustained light to moderate injuries and were taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem. Her father survived the attack.
United Hatzalah President Eli Beer shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Ronit had begun volunteering with the organization at the request of her 11-year-old son, Itamar, who is on the autism spectrum. “Itamar was so proud of his mother,” Beer wrote.
Also identified as victims were Oren Katz and 16-year-old Gavriel Baruch.
The Israeli military (IDF) stated that the failure to intercept the missile is under investigation. Air defense systems were activated, but the missile, estimated to have a 500-kilogram warhead, struck directly.
This marks the deadliest missile strike in Israel during the current conflict with Iran. On Saturday, a missile strike in Tel Aviv killed Mary Anne Velasquez de Vera, a 32-year-old Philippine national.
The attack underscores the escalating tensions in the region and raises concerns about the safety of civilians.
