Israeli Defense Minister Threatens Khamenei After Iran Missile Hits Hospital

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The exchange of hostilities between Israel and Iran continued on Thursday, June 19, 2025, marked by an intense war of nerves with no signs of abatement.

On Thursday, Israeli fighter jets launched strikes on dozens of locations in Iran, including Natanz and the Khondab heavy water nuclear reactor, which was formerly Arak. Israel claimed these attacks were successful and on target.

Iran retaliated with a missile attack. While some missiles were intercepted by Israel's defense system, many successfully penetrated, striking several locations within Israel. Reports indicate six buildings in different areas sustained damage, including a hospital in the southern part of the country.

Among the targets hit by the Iranian attack, the strike on the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, a southern Israeli city, drew considerable attention. Israel declared that Iran had overstepped a critical boundary by targeting a hospital, resulting in injuries to at least 240 people

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iranian leaders they would pay a "heavy price" for the attack. Concurrently, Israeli Defense Minister Katz threatened to eliminate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Such a person is forbidden to exist," Katz stated, as quoted by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, according to Al Jazeera.

Iran's state news agency, IRNA, claimed the "primary target" of the Beersheba attack was the military intelligence headquarters, which is adjacent to the Soroka Medical Center. IRNA asserted that the health facility sustained only minor damage from the shockwaves of the missile strike.

Due to Israel’s strict military censorship, information regarding sites such as military and intelligence facilities is not publicly released. However, Israeli media reports indicated a "sensitive" building next to the hospital was heavily damaged.

Ori Goldberg, an Israeli political commentator, told Al Jazeera that Israeli authorities were emphasizing the hospital attack to convey a message that Iran was targeting medical facilities. "Of course, Israelis target hospitals as well. It’s important to mention that there really are very sensitive installations and headquarters very near to the hospital because Israel places its military headquarters in the midst of civilian neighbourhoods and towns," he explained from Tel Aviv.

Al Jazeera noted that Israel has previously attacked hospitals in Gaza on several occasions, claiming to target Hamas leaders sheltering there.

Khamenei responded to the Israeli leader's reaction in a post on X (formerly Twitter), characterizing it as a reflection of fear. "I would like to tell our dear nation that if the enemy senses that you fear them, they won’t let go of you. Continue the very behavior that you have had up to this day; continue this behavior with strength," Khamenei wrote.

The Israeli-Iranian air conflict has been ongoing since Friday, June 13. The Washington-based Iranian human rights group reports that at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran, with over 1,300 injured. Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel has reached 24, with hundreds more injured.

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