A rocket strike targeted Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, a city in southern Israel. Local reporting by Israeli media indicated the attack impacted the hospital compound and damaged significant infrastructure within the facility.
Witnesses described damage to the hospital complex, including the bridge connecting main sections of the building. Medical staff and administrators reported that the structure sustained serious harm from the blast, with concerns about the hospital’s ability to continue operations in the immediate aftermath.
Initial updates from the reporting outlet noted that information about any injuries or casualties had not yet been confirmed at the time of publication. The situation was described as developing, with authorities continuing to assess damage and provide updates to the public.
Prior to this incident in Ashkelon, a separate event in Tel Aviv involved a collapse believed to be caused by a missile strike. Rescue teams managed to pull two people from the wreckage in that incident, underscoring the volatility of the security situation in the region.
On 7 October, authorities reported a large-scale rocket barrage directed at Israel, with thousands of projectiles launched by Hamas forces. In response to the events, a military operation named Al-Aqsa Flood was announced by Hamas. In the Israeli government, national security measures were enacted, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, declared a state of emergency across the country.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that the country had entered a state of war. The Israel Defense Forces described their offensive against Hamas as Iron Swords, coordinating airstrikes that targeted multiple Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip. In retaliation, Israeli forces reported coordinated strikes on various Hamas targets as part of a broader regional conflict response.
Former defense officials weighed in on the evolving security situation, with declarations of continued emergency measures and ongoing assessments of national security needs across all sectors of society. The day’s events highlighted the heightened risk to civilian infrastructure and the importance of rapid emergency preparedness, medical readiness, and coalition support amid a rapidly changing security landscape.