A missile strike by Iran has caused heavy damage in southern Israel’s Beersheba on Friday, according to media reports, even as diplomatic efforts by Europe continue with Britain, France, and Germany’s foreign ministers set to meet with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva for talks.
According to Times of Israel, Iran missile strikes impacted Beersheba, causing heavy damage and injuring five lightly. The report also claimed that 4 Iranian drones were downed overnight.
“An Iranian ballistic missile struck Beersheba in southern Israel on Friday morning, lightly wounding seven people and causing substantial damage to homes, as Israel and Iran continued their exchange of fire. The southern city’s Soroka Hospital, which was hit by an Iranian strike a day earlier, said it had received seven casualties, all lightly injured,” the report said.
The missile struck near several apartment blocks, setting some cars on fire, the report added.
“Sirens sounding in southern Israel due to missile fire from Iran,” posted the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev Desert of southern Israel.
According to CNN, the Iranian missile strikes hit a tech park housing a Microsoft office in southern Israel.
Israel’s emergency services agency, Magen David Adom (MDA), posted on X: “Following the Red Alert sirens that were heard in the past few minutes in southern Israel, no reports of casualties have been received at this stage. MDA teams are being dispatched to scan the areas where reports were received. ”
“First responders are searching buildings for people wounded after an Iranian missile struck close to a tech park in the Israeli city of Beer Sheva,” reported CNN, quoting MDA.
Israel Hits Iran Military Targets
Meanwhile, the IDF said on X: “60+ fighter jets struck dozens of military targets in Iran using approximately 120 munitions. Several industrial sites used to manufacture missiles were struck in the Tehran area. These sites served as a key industrial centre for the Iranian Ministry of Defence.”
“The SPND headquarters in Tehran were struck. This building was used for the development of advanced technologies and weapons supporting the Iranian regime’s military capabilities,” it said.
“4 UAVs launched from Iran were intercepted,” it said.
Two-Week Window For Diplomacy
Earlier, U.S. President Trump said he would make his final decision on whether to strike Iran in the “next two weeks,” because he said he is still hoping for negotiations.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, reading a statement directly from Trump during her daily briefing.
Trump’s statement left a two-week window for diplomatic efforts by Europe to resolve the crisis with Iran.
(With inputs from IBNS)
