TEL AVIV (AP) — Assuta Medical Center in Tel Aviv has opened a fortified underground hospital complex capable of accommodating about 200 patients, aiming to ensure continuity of care during missile attacks or other national emergencies.

The new facility, located beneath Assuta’s Ramat HaHayal campus, is intended to receive patients transferred from public hospitals that lack sufficient protection. Health officials say the move reflects lessons learned from recent conflicts, including the Swords of Iron war and Operation Rising Lion, which exposed gaps in hospital fortification and emergency coordination.

In past emergencies, Israel’s Health Ministry typically ordered private hospitals to suspend operations. But a revised approach now integrates private medical centers into the national emergency response framework.

Over the last two months, workers installed medical gas systems, electricity and communications infrastructure in the underground space, enabling a rapid shift to full inpatient hospitalization if required.

Dr. Shani Brosh, head of the medical division at Assuta Medical Centers, said the infrastructure allows the complex to be activated immediately upon government order and to house approximately 200 patients from other facilities.

Assuta CEO Gidi Leshet said the project is part of a broader national resilience strategy, calling the preservation of uninterrupted medical care during crises a national mission.

In addition to the underground facility, Assuta has operated fortified above-ground operating rooms during prior security escalations, allowing complex surgeries to continue despite missile threats.