Photo by
Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL on 1 March, 2026
Nine Killed, Dozens Wounded in Iranian Missile Hit on Central Israel
Jerusalem, 1 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Editor’s note: This article was revised to reflect the updated death toll.
At least nine people were killed and dozens wounded Sunday after an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential area in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, emergency services said, as rescue teams continued searching damaged buildings for possible additional victims.
Magen David Adom, Israel’s national ambulance service, said four people were killed at the scene of the initial impact, while a fifth later died of wounds. Around 20 others were injured, including two in critical condition and several more seriously hurt. Among the wounded was a 10-year-old girl who suffered severe injuries. The remaining victims sustained minor to moderate wounds and were evacuated to nearby hospitals.
The missile caused extensive destruction, with several buildings damaged or partially collapsed. Firefighters, search-and-rescue units and military medics were dispatched to the area, supported by a helicopter used to evacuate the injured.
“Upon receiving the report about a collapse in several buildings with destruction, large forces of ambulances and mobile intensive care units were rushed to the scene,” MDA emergency medical technician Yosef Laufer said. “When we arrived, we noticed significant destruction and residents who had already been rescued from the building.”
He added, “We provided medical treatment to several victims, including a 10-year-old girl who was seriously injured, as well as others with varying degrees of injury. Our forces remain at the scene to continue treating victims who have not yet been rescued.”
The Israeli military said Home Front Command rescue and recovery teams were operating in the area and that warning sirens had been activated prior to the strike. “The circumstances of the fall are under investigation,” the military said.
Beit Shemesh Mayor Shmuel Greenberg urged the public to stay away from the scene to allow rescue efforts to continue.
Elsewhere, a man was lightly injured by shrapnel in Petah Tikva, and debris was found on the roof of an empty school in Rosh Ha’ayin.
