
MISSILES RAIN DOWN: Iran Pounds Israel for Hours, Home Hit in Rishon Lezion
Iran directed missile barrages at Israel, pounding the country from midnight until Monday afternoon, setting off alerts in the north, central and southern regions, with two attacks triggering sirens in Jerusalem. While the IDF intercepted most of the missiles, some missiles slipped through the defenses and impacted residential areas, along with debris from interceptions that caused damage to buildings. One person was lightly injured by what has been reported to be a cluster bomb.
A home in Rishon Lezion was damaged by the impact.
In East Jerusalem, a large chunk of a missile landed on the roof of a home. Other fragments impacted near the National Library not far from the Knesset and near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City.
A 30-year-old woman, Lir Itzik, said she entered a shelter just before a warhead struck Rishon Lezion where she lives. The safe room of the home was difficult to open after an impact that damaged the home.
“The siren ended, there were booms,” she said. “Suddenly, there was a whistle and a really strong explosion. The whole shelter went white, I couldn’t see where to go, and I didn’t know if it was at all possible to open the door. I didn’t know if the home was on fire, I didn’t know anything.”
Itzik called her father as well as the Fire and Rescue Services. With her father pushing on one side of the door and her pushing on the other, they managed to push it ajar so she could slip through. Her father said that the walls had collapsed against the door.
“I inhaled a lot of dust, and I also fell over as I was coming out of the shelter because of debris,” Itzik said.
Upon visiting the site of the impact Monday, President Isaac Herzog said, “Our enemies in Iran are trying, in a cowardly way, to harm citizens in the heart of a peaceful residential neighborhood. We will overcome these challenges and defeat our enemies.” He urged people to follow Home Front Command’s instructions because “they save lives.”
Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 142 people had been treated for injuries in the past 24 hours. Most were in good condition, while others were treated for anxiety. Three were reportedly in moderate condition.