Hostilities between Israel and Iran intensified on Thursday, following a wave of Iranian missile attacks that injured at least 240 people. The strikes hit a major hospital in southern Israel and residential buildings in Tel Aviv, prompting a stern warning from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Katz declared that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, remains a major obstacle to Israel’s national interests. “The military has been instructed and knows that to achieve all of its goals, this man [Khamenei] absolutely should not continue to exist,” he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
In retaliation, Israeli forces launched targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, including the Arak heavy water reactor—an important facility within Iran’s nuclear programme. Iranian state television reported the site had been evacuated before the attack and assured the public that “there is no radiation danger whatsoever.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest that former U.S. President Donald Trump may soon decide whether to authorise direct military action against Iran. Sources indicate he believes negotiations may still offer a “substantial” chance to meet U.S. and Israeli demands regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In Gaza, the situation remains dire. An Israeli airstrike on Shati Camp in northern Gaza reportedly killed 19 civilians, including three children and five women, and injured at least 70 others. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Shifa Hospital, told the Associated Press the strike hit a group of civilians.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed ongoing bombardment and gunfire across Gaza, including in areas where civilians were gathering for food aid.
Hospitals are overwhelmed. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has exceeded its capacity, receiving over 300 injured people on Wednesday alone, many from food distribution sites. According to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, a tent originally intended for paediatric and surgical care is now an overcrowded trauma ward, housing 100 beds in a space built for 88 patients.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 69 people had died in the past 24 hours, including two recovered bodies. Another 221 people were treated for injuries across various hospitals. Since the war began in October 2023, Gaza’s death toll has reached 55,706, with over 130,101 injured.
In southern Israel, Soroka Medical Center confirmed that part of its building was hit during the Iranian missile barrage. Fortunately, 60 of the hospital’s most vulnerable patients had already been relocated to the basement earlier in the week—a move that likely saved lives. “The beds they were lying in are now gone,” said Dr. Dana Braiman.
The hospital is now working to transfer additional patients to nearby facilities as a precaution, with staff describing the situation as a constant struggle. “We’re taking it one hour at a time,” one nurse said.
On the diplomatic front, efforts to reduce tensions are ongoing. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. According to Italy’s Foreign Ministry, both reaffirmed that “Iran must not have the atomic bomb.” Tajani also stressed the urgent need for a Gaza ceasefire and the full restoration of humanitarian aid. Rubio responded that this remains the “intention of the Trump administration.”
