At least nine people were killed and dozens wounded Sunday when an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential area in Old Beit Shemesh, scoring a direct hit on a public shelter shortly before 2 p.m., authorities said.

Witnesses reported that several victims were inside the protected space when the missile hit, collapsing the structure and causing extensive destruction to nearby buildings.

Police said approximately 50 people were wounded, with at least 20 taken for medical treatment. Eleven individuals remain unaccounted for as search-and-rescue operations continue.

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem declared a mass casualty incident as emergency teams worked to treat the injured.

Four of the victims have been identified – Sarah Elimelech hy”d; her daughter and Ichud Hatzolah volunteer Ronit Elimelech hy”d; Oren Katz hy”d; and Gavriel Revach hy”d.

The other victims have not yet been publicly identified.

Chaim Weingarten, deputy director of operations for ZAKA, described the scene as “a tragedy that cannot be described in words,” saying volunteers were working to recover victims with dignity. Magen David Adom paramedic Nati Ben Shimon said responders found multiple casualties in critical and serious condition and established a forward triage point to evacuate the wounded.

Border Police units are searching for possible survivors under the rubble, while bomb disposal experts are clearing the area of additional munitions.

 

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)