IDF Targets Reactor in Arak as Iran Strikes Israeli Civilian Sites; Soroka Medical Center Hit but Catastrophe Averted
Nearly 50 wounded in nationwide rocket barrage from Iran, including direct hit on Soroka Medical Center. Border Police rescue newborn and civilians under fire; IDF continues preemptive strikes on strategic nuclear sites.
⭕This nuclear reactor in Arak was created for one purpose: to build a nuclear bomb.
It has now been neutralized. Here is a closer look at the reactor itself: pic.twitter.com/4KBDsgp8IN
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 19, 2025
Iran Targets Hospitals, but Disaster Avoided
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin provided a situational briefing Thursday on the progression of Operation “Rising Lion.” He confirmed that Israeli fighter jets struck the nuclear reactor in the Arak region—currently inactive but with the potential to produce weapons-grade plutonium. “We are not waiting—we are preventing threats,” Defrin stated.
Defrin condemned Iran’s direct targeting of Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva earlier that morning, calling it a deliberate attempt to inflict civilian casualties. “Thanks to responsible conduct and rapid coordination, a much greater disaster was averted,” he emphasized.
Home Front Command confirmed that around 50 individuals were wounded across various impact sites during the morning missile barrage, with no fatalities reported. Four were seriously injured, including several evacuated to Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
At a briefing from one of the strike sites, the Home Front commander said: “This is a textbook case of how early warning and disciplined civilian response saved lives. People heard the alert, entered shelters—and that saved them.”
Border Police Rescue Operations Under Fire
As rockets fell across southern and central Israel, Border Police officers carried out rescues at several heavily damaged locations. In one particularly emotional incident, a newborn baby was pulled from the rubble by officers. In another, a pair of dogs trapped in a damaged apartment were safely recovered.
This morning also marked the operational debut of the Border Police’s new training battalion, deployed just a day after their induction ceremony. “The new recruits entered the field immediately and showed exceptional courage and dedication,” said a Border Police representative.
Public Diplomacy and Foreign Press Outreach
In light of the Iranian strike on Soroka, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ordered the creation of a special media war room at the hospital to show international journalists the extent of the damage and to highlight Iran’s deliberate targeting of civilians. The facility is being coordinated with the Government Press Office, the Ministry of Health, and Soroka’s leadership.
Additional Security and Emergency Response Developments
- The elite ‘Nachshon’ unit of the Israel Prison Service, typically tasked with prisoner transport and riot control, was deployed for the first time to assist at Soroka following the strike.
- Wolfson Medical Center reported receiving 30 wounded, including 4 in serious condition and 5 moderately wounded. Among the lightly injured were six children.
IDF Expands Strikes in Iran
Brig. Gen. Defrin noted that while the IDF has already destroyed hundreds of surface-to-surface missiles in Iran, the regime retains launch capabilities. “We will continue targeting their ability to fire—whoever challenges us will pay a heavy price,” he warned.
He also emphasized the IDF’s multi-front readiness and urged the public to strictly follow updated Home Front Command instructions, which are being reassessed continuously.
Strategic Outlook
Iran’s IR-40 reactor in Arak, despite being inactive, was chosen as a target for its potential role in producing plutonium for nuclear warheads. The IDF urged residents in Arak and nearby Khondab to evacuate, suggesting further strikes are likely.
Israel’s coordinated attacks, combined with effective civil defense and emergency response, have so far prevented mass casualties despite Iran’s escalatory attacks on civilian infrastructure. As the operation continues, Israeli leadership underscores both military resolve and humanitarian discipline in the face of mounting regional threats.
