Thirteen people were lightly injured Saturday afternoon after a direct hit by an Iranian missile in Eshtaol, near Beit Shemesh, following a barrage that included several missiles.
As a result of the strike, extensive damage was caused to homes. The Fire and Rescue Services said that, according to initial assessments from teams on the ground, the destruction radius for buildings is approximately 150 meters. Dozens of vehicles were also damaged.
From one of the impact sites in Eshtaol, a man around 50 years old with a broken arm and two women around 60 with injuries were evacuated. From another impact site, evacuees included a 75-year-old man injured by flying debris from a collapsed roof, a 29-year-old man hit by a flying window, a 47-year-old man injured by a flying doorframe, and a 43-year-old woman suffering from blast injuries. At a third scene, four additional people were lightly injured. Several individuals suffering from shock were also treated at the scene.
Magen David Adom (MDA) senior medic Elad Kadmon said: “We received a report of an impact, and when we arrived, we saw destruction and people walking around fully conscious. We provided initial medical treatment to those lightly injured and conducted searches to ensure there were no additional casualties."
“We are at the impact site in the Mateh Yehuda region-a direct hit by Iranian missiles in the town area. As you can see, there is damage to a great many buildings: heavy damage in the immediate radius and lighter damage in the outer areas. We are dealing with only lightly injured individuals in this incident. I reiterate: following safety instructions saves lives. If there is proper shelter, enter it. If not, find the best possible protection - even if it means lying on the ground and covering your head with your hands. These instructions save lives."
Fire and Rescue commander Zachariah Rafael, who commanded the incident, said: “This is a large-scale scene with multiple buildings affected. Firefighters are conducting thorough searches to rule out trapped individuals and addressing secondary hazards to ensure residents’ safety."
Alongside rescue and fire teams, Border Police forces, police bomb disposal units, Jerusalem District officers, and volunteers are operating at the scene. Jerusalem District Police Commander Avshalom Peled arrived at the site and conducted a situational assessment with all emergency and rescue agencies.