In the early hours of Saturday morning, sirens pierced the calm of Rishon LeZion, a city just south of Tel Aviv, as families sought refuge from the chaos unfolding around them. Ifat Benhaim and her family hurried into their basement, closing the door just before a massive explosion rocked their home. “I thought all the house fell on us,” Ifat recalled. When they finally emerged, they were met with a scene of destruction: shattered windows and a thick layer of dust blanketing their living room.
The tranquility of their suburban street was shattered, with several homes suffering significant damage. Roofs collapsed, and glass lay strewn across the road, while at least 30 cars bore the brunt of the attack, showcasing smashed windows and deep dents. The Iranian missile struck shortly after 05:00 local time (03:00 BST), amid a series of six Iranian attacks that night. These strikes were reportedly in retaliation for extensive Israeli air strikes on Iran, prompting millions of residents to flee for safety.
The missile assault resulted in tragic losses, with two fatalities reported in Rishon LeZion. One victim was identified by Israeli media as 73-year-old Israel Aloni, while around 19 others sustained injuries. Emergency services responded swiftly, with ambulances and rescue crews arriving shortly after the missile strike. Sniffer dogs were deployed to sift through the wreckage of concrete and twisted metal, searching for any unexploded ordnance that might pose further danger.
Ifat, along with her husband Zion and six younger relatives, now faces the daunting task of packing their belongings from the home they have cherished for 29 years. "Where will we stay over the coming days?" they ponder, a question echoed by many in their community. A neighbor, who opted to stay with her daughter that night for safety, expressed relief, believing her decision may have saved her life.
Among the rubble, 48-year-old Sally Ilan salvaged remnants of her past—a few pieces of crockery from her parents' home, the first house built in the neighborhood. “My father was so eager to build it,” she lamented, gesturing toward the ruins. “Forty years of memories are gone... It’s heavy on the heart.”
Across the country, the toll from the overnight strikes reached three fatalities: two in Rishon LeZion and one in the nearby city of Ramat Gan, with around 76 people injured nationwide. Despite the destruction in Israel, reports indicate that the devastation is minor compared to the damage seen in Iran. The Israeli military operation, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, commenced on Friday morning with the targeted assassinations of senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists. This military campaign has escalated to include strikes on critical Iranian infrastructure, including nuclear facilities and military bases.
As tensions escalate, Iran's UN envoy reported 78 casualties from the Israeli strikes by Friday night, while a health ministry official in Iran indicated that around 800 individuals had been injured. Iranian state media claimed that 60 people, including 20 children, lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Tehran.
In the aftermath of the missile strike in Rishon LeZion, a poignant message was scrawled in the dust on a car's windscreen: “Until when?” This question resonates deeply, as the world watches a conflict that is less than 48 hours old but has already left a profound impact on countless lives.
