JERUSALEM: At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles following a US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said.
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said it “evacuated 16 people to hospital, including a 30-year-old man in moderate condition after being wounded in the upper body by shrapnel”.
Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble that it said was in central Israel, following the two waves of missiles launched from around 7.30am (12.30pm Malaysian time).
Sirens rang around the country after the Israeli army reported the incoming missiles, with air defences activated shortly after, causing loud explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Israeli police reported “the fall of weapon fragments” in a northern area encompassing the port of Haifa, where authorities said emergency services were heading to an “accident site”.
Reporting on missile strikes is subject to strict military censorship rules in Israel, but at least 50 impacts have been officially acknowledged and 25 people have been killed since the war began with Iran on June 13, according to official figures.
Coastal hub Tel Aviv, southern city Beersheba and northern port Haifa have been the three areas most frequently targeted.
Israel’s air defences have intercepted more than 450 missiles along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military. - AFP
