Israel Hits Iranian Nuclear Sites, Iran Strikes Israeli Hospital As Conflict Escalates

Tone & Political Bias: Center

Why: The reporting includes critical statements from both Israeli and Iranian sides, details civilian harm on both ends, and presents third-party warnings and U.S. ambiguity without advocating for a particular narrative.

Israel Targets Nuclear Sites Inside Iran

Israel on Thursday carried out airstrikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities, including sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Khondab, significantly escalating a week-old war. Initial reports mistakenly included Bushehr—the country’s only functioning nuclear power plant—but Israeli officials later corrected the statement.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the aim was to target Tehran’s strategic capabilities and destabilize the “Ayatollah regime.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would pay the “full price,” suggesting broader military objectives, potentially even regime change. However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar clarified that toppling Iran’s leadership was not yet an official goal.

Iran Retaliates With Missile Strike On Israeli Hospital

In response to the Israeli strikes, Iran launched missiles that struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, southern Israel. The attack damaged hospital wards and injured at least 40 people, including patients and staff.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed they targeted military sites near the hospital. Israeli officials denied any nearby military presence and accused Iran of intentionally striking a civilian medical facility. A residential building in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, was also hit by a missile, with civilians reporting severe damage and panic.

Civilian Toll Rises On Both Sides

Since the conflict began, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed hundreds in Iran and wiped out much of Iran's military command, according to Israeli assessments. In Iran, communication and reporting have become restricted. The government has stopped updating the public on casualties and has limited access to media, including internet shutdowns and bans on public filming.

An Iranian resident in Tehran reported to Reuters that a neighboring building was destroyed, killing at least three children and two women. Israel has also issued evacuation orders for parts of Tehran, prompting thousands to flee the city.

Iranian missile strikes have, for the first time in decades of regional hostilities, breached Israeli defenses and killed at least two dozen civilians in the past week.

U.S. Stance Unclear Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump has not committed to direct involvement in the conflict. He has alternated between calls for diplomatic resolution and threats of possible military action. On social media, Trump even hinted at targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, but then suggested a need for Iran’s unconditional surrender. As of now, no official U.S. military action has been confirmed.

Global Fears Over Nuclear Risk

Israel’s targeting of nuclear sites has sparked international alarm, particularly concerning the Bushehr plant, though it was not ultimately struck. The head of Russia’s state nuclear agency warned that an attack on Bushehr could result in a “Chernobyl-style catastrophe.”

The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) confirmed that a heavy-water reactor in Khondab was hit but clarified that no radioactive material was present. Iran's facilities for making heavy water—a component in plutonium-based weapons—were not confirmed as targeted.

Oil Markets And Strait Of Hormuz In Focus

Tensions have extended to global trade concerns. A senior Iranian lawmaker said Tehran may close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for about 20% of global oil traffic. Past threats to shut the strait have triggered international concern, and commercial vessels are now avoiding Iranian waters.

As the conflict deepens, oil prices have risen, and investor uncertainty is growing, partly due to Trump's unpredictable stance.

Escalation Seen As Most Severe Since 1979

This war marks Iran’s gravest national security crisis since the 1979 revolution. For Israel, it is an extension of the multi-front conflict it has been engaged in since the October 2023 Hamas attack.

In addition to Iran, Israel has targeted Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Houthi forces in Yemen, further broadening the scope of regional conflict.

The humanitarian cost continues to rise, with thousands displaced, critical infrastructure damaged, and no diplomatic resolution in sight.