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Soroka Medical Center Struck by Ballistic Missile, Impacting Healthcare for Over One Million in Israel’s South.

In the early hours of June 19, Iran launched a ballistic missile that struck Soroka Medical Center, the only major hospital for southern Israel. It was a direct hit to the heart of Israel’s healthcare system. Located in Be’er Sheva, Soroka serves over one million people across the diverse Negev region. Known as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, Soroka, one of Israel’s largest and most respected hospitals, is now operating in crisis mode. For a region already reeling since October 7, the missile strike brought additional trauma and a dangerous disruption to vital medical care. Though no lives were lost, the damage is profound. The lack of fatalities was thanks to Soroka’s visionary leadership, which placed the hospital on high alert and activated emergency protocols refined over years of operating under threat. The timely evacuation of all hospital areas ensured the safety of patients, staff, and clinics in the hours preceding impact.

“Soroka is not just walls and steel; it’s a community, a promise of care for every resident. We will persevere. A missile may have hit our buildings, but it cannot break our commitment. Our mission, professionalism and humanity — these core foundations of this hospital remain unshaken. We will continue to serve the people of the South, no matter what.” Prof. Shlomi Codish, Soroka’s Director General.

The missile struck a central area of the campus, its force rippling across the entire 70.5 acre of the medical center. The surgical building, once a center of healing and advanced care, is now inoperable. Nearly 100 people were injured, and while we are deeply grateful no lives were lost, the impact is severe. Clinics and inpatient wards have been shut down. Hundreds of patients have been transferred to facilities across the country or safely discharged for home care. Soroka’s Emergency Department and trauma services remain active the whole time.

To grasp Soroka’s importance to the region, consider this: even while operating in reduced capacity mode, Soroka has welcomed 117 new babies, life affirming even in the darkest hours. For residents of Be’er Sheva, Rahat, Dimona, Arad, and dozens of rural and Bedouin communities across the South, this widening healthcare gap is now a life-threatening crisis.

Damage extended to the hospital’s laboratories, including a key lab central to pioneering research on treatments for tumors, infectious diseases, and diabetes. Beyond their groundbreaking studies, these labs provided rapid diagnostics and expert consultations vital to patient care. Decades of work, data, and lives dedicated to advancing science and improving society were lost in an instant, a devastating setback that will take years to overcome.

Now, Soroka’s staff are fighting a different battle: salvaging what they can from the wreckage. Equipment worth millions of shekels was destroyed, and rebuilding the research infrastructure and restoring capabilities will demand a long-term effort.

Soroka has never been just a hospital. It is the anchor of life in Israel’s South, a center of medical innovation, and constant care in a region often underserved and under threat. Its closure reverberates far beyond the blast site. People with cancer, heart disease, and chronic illnesses now face heightened risk, not from failure, but from force.

President Isaac Herzog condemned the strike, calling it a direct attack on civilian medical infrastructure and a violation of international law. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after touring the damaged campus, vowed a forceful response. “This attack will not go unanswered.

More urgently, we will restore Soroka—stronger and more secure than ever.”

Soroka’s leadership is coordinating with the Ministry of Health, Clalit Health Services, the Home Front Command, and emergency responders to stabilize operations and plan reconstruction. American Friends of Soroka Medical Center (AFS) has launched the Rebuilding Soroka Emergency Fund, a global campaign to restore vital infrastructure, replace destroyed equipment, enhance protective systems, and swiftly restore full medical access to southern Israel. Learn more at Soroka.org.

“Our response goes beyond repairing buildings,” said Rachel Heisler, Executive Director of AFS. “It’s about restoring healthcare and hope to over a million people. The South cannot be without a Level 1 trauma center, especially in these critical times. With support from our global community, we will rebuild Soroka stronger, ensuring it remains a beacon of resilience, compassion, and innovation for generations.”

Soroka’s strength has always come from its people: doctors, nurses, staff, patients, and supporters worldwide. Today, that strength faces its greatest test. Rebuilding is not just a goal but a necessity. And it begins now.

Soroka Medical Center’s extraordinary response since the devastating missile attack on June 19th.

In just weeks, we have made remarkable progress:

• Soroka is now operating at 80% capacity
• Southern surgical building is back to work
• The kitchen is functional
• Elevators operational in the Internal Medicine Building and Southern Surgical Building.
• Saban Children’s Hospital is working tirelessly to provide exceptional care for the 400,000 children of the Negev, despite extensive glass damage and shockwave impact
• The main pharmacy was relocated and reopened
• Soroka continues to care for war casualties, having treated more than 4,300 since the war began.

After the missile destroyed our endocrinology and biochemistry labs, our laboratory team, led by Dr. Merav Cohen Lahav and Tali Bresler Musicant, ensured critical tests resumed within hours. As they said: “Some labs must never stop working, no matter what.”

Our NICU, already permanently sheltered for the past five years, continued to care for the most vulnerable newborns without interruption. Labor and delivery units remained fully operational, providing safe and compassionate care even under threat.

Emergency and trauma teams, the frontline heroes of Soroka, responded with unwavering determination. From the moment of impact, they managed a surge of casualties, saving lives with speed and precision despite damaged facilities.

Beyond patient care, Soroka serves as a teaching hospital to thousands of medical students, the next generation of healthcare professionals. We are also home to cutting-edge clinical research and innovation, including programs focused on rare genetic diseases that impact families locally and worldwide.

Soroka’s ability to sustain these critical services reflects the dedication, expertise, and resilience that define Soroka as the medical vanguard of Israel’s south. Thanks to their courage and ingenuity, Soroka’s humanitarian promise was kept - care never stops.

We have shown the world what resilience looks like. Even amid destruction, Soroka remains a lifeline, a vital national asset. But the work is far from over. We must rebuild stronger, protect critical departments, and ensure that Soroka is never vulnerable again.

Soroka Medical Center welcomed Mike Huckabee, United States Ambassador to Israel, to campus.

On June 26th, Soroka Medical Center had the honor of welcoming Mike Huckabee, United States Ambassador to Israel to our campus.

Walking through our damad halls just one week after Soroka was struck by an Iranian missile, meeting our courageous staff and hearing the stories of how lives were saved and tragedy averted, Ambassador Huckabee reflected:

With these powerful words, Ambassador Huckabee captured the very soul of Soroka: unwavering dedication, boundless compassion, and an unbreakable spirit that shines through even the darkest days. His visit was not just an expression of solidarity, it was a testament to Soroka’s vital role as a beacon of healing for Israel’s South.

Ambassador Huckabee’s message reminds us that while buildings can be damaged the human spirit at Soroka cannot be broken. Our teams continue to show up each day, treating patients, delivering new life and standing strong for our community.

Your support today helps us rebuild critical departments, replace life-saving equipment and ensures we remain ready to care for every patient who needs us. It facilitates the most rapid recovery possible, which cannot come soon enough for the families of the diverse Negev region. Together, we can restore Soroka and emerge stronger and more resilient — a promise of hope for generations to come.

The Future of Israel Begins at Soroka: Become a Lifeline Now

As the only major medical center in the South and one of Israel’s leading hospitals, this attack is more than a devastating blow to Soroka, it is a profound crisis for Israel’s most vulnerable and diverse communities.

We need to rebuild as quickly and most efficiently as possible. To meet this critical moment, we have launched the Soroka Rebuilding Emergency Fund to restore and strengthen the hospital’s essential operations and infrastructure in the wake of this attack.

“Soroka never stops.” said Prof. Shlomi Codish, Director General: “The missile that struck Soroka hit the heart of Israel’s southern healthcare system. The damage is significant, but our spirit is unbreakable. Despite the painful blow, the values that define Soroka – sense of mission, dedication, professionalism, and humanity are stronger than any missile. We will rise, rebuild, and continue to be a life-saving anchor in the South.”

Soroka is more than a hospital - it is a cornerstone of national preparedness and resilience. Our diverse team of professionals stands together in the face of adversity, committed to saving lives, delivering outstanding medicine and maximizing outcomes for our patients. Your donation today is a pure lifeline. Join us. Help Soroka meet this moment.

Urgently Needed: Lifesaving Equipment

Help Soroka Medical Center continue delivering critical care in the face of unprecedented challenges. Your support provides the essential tools our medical teams need—right now.

• Stretchers
• ICU beds
• Hospital beds
• Ventilators
• Central monitor stations
• Special Ground vehicle for the transport of patients safely and more