Two more missing victims of the Iranian ballistic missile strike on a building in Haifa on Sunday evening were found dead under the rubble by rescuers on Monday after an exceptionally complex rescue operation stretching over 18 hours.

The two bodies were found hours after two victims were previously found at the site, buried under the rubble. MDA teams pronounced all four dead at the scene. The victims were an elderly couple in their 80s, their son in his 40s, and his wife. They were not in the shelter when the missile hit, possibly due to the fact that their apartment was on a high floor and they would have had to walk down several flights of steps to reach it.

Firefighters from the Haifa Station, Home Front Command search and rescue forces, Lahav Rescue Unit teams, and other professionals—including handlers from the “Oketz” canine unit—worked throughout the night into the morning hours to rescue the trapped victims. The rescue operations were carried out under extremely challenging conditions that required precise and cautious work alongside the use of heavy engineering equipment and advanced engineering and technological equipment, including phone signal tracing.

Lt. Col. (res.) Yair Pinto, operations officer of the National Rescue Unit, said the main effort focused on locating and reaching the trapped individuals through voids in the rubble or openings created with specialized equipment. He noted that much of the work was carried out manually to prevent further collapse.

He added that teams used a “tunneling” method—carefully digging access routes through the debris—to reach possible air pockets. He pointed out that the level of destruction was similar to earthquake scenes, a scenario the unit is highly experienced in.

Operations were conducted from multiple points simultaneously to shorten the time needed to reach the trapped individuals. Despite assessments of their location, access was complex and required extreme caution. The working assumption throughout was that the trapped individuals were alive, and all actions were carried out with urgency.

The rescuers operated at the scene using drones, advanced detection tools, and rescue dogs, though most of the effort relied on manpower. At the same time, teams worked to stabilize the structure and prevent further collapses using cranes, cutting tools, and supports.

Alongside the rescue efforts, additional forces operated at the scene to manage hazards, secure the area, and prepare for recovery—but the central focus remained the effort to reach the trapped individuals.

The missile that struck the building was buried just a few meters from where the victims were found, and there were serious concerns that it would detonate. Rescue teams operated under difficult conditions due to both the confined space and the remaining ordnance. The Electric Company disconnected power lines in the area to allow the entry of heavy equipment, resulting in temporary outages on the street.

“When we arrived at the street, we saw a multi-story building that had been hit, and there was extensive destruction at the scene,” senior MDA medic Shevach Rotenstreich said. “Residents who were there told us there were wounded people trapped under the rubble on the lower floors. We managed to move large pieces of concrete with our own hands and rescued an 82-year-old man from the debris who was seriously injured but conscious.”

All residents of the building’s nine apartments were evacuated—some to hospitals and others to temporary housing. Two nearby buildings were also evacuated. Rehabilitation of the area is expected to take at least a year, and the structure will likely need to be demolished and rebuilt.

An 82-year-old resident of the building is hospitalized at Rambam Medical Center in the general intensive care unit after undergoing surgery overnight. He is sedated and on a ventilator, and his condition is serious. His 78-year-old wife is hospitalized in a trauma unit in mild condition. Three buildings were evacuated, and six additional people, including an infant, were taken in light condition to Bnei Tzion Medical Center.

Police Commissioner Danny Levy held a situational assessment at the scene with Coastal District Commander Yechiel Bohdana and emergency officials. President Isaac Herzog spoke with Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav and expressed appreciation for the efforts on the ground. Yahav described the incident as severe and complex, noting that all municipal services are working in coordination with the Home Front Command and rescue forces to save lives and assist residents.

Welfare teams and psychologists are providing support to victims and their families at the scene and in hospitals. Residents whose homes were damaged have been evacuated to hotels, and a support center has been opened at Hugim School. The municipal hotline is operating in emergency mode, and the public has been asked to stay away from the area to allow emergency crews to continue their work.

A preliminary IDF investigation found that the missile broke apart midair, causing the interceptor to miss the target. The penetrating section, which carried the explosive material, struck the building and led to its collapse. The warhead itself did not detonate, and the damage was caused by the structural collapse rather than a blast. The IDF noted that residents who were in the shelter on the lower floor were not harmed.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)