Latest news with #Rehovot
Al Mayadeen
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Iran avenges assassinated scientists, strikes key Weizmann Institute
Iran has carried out a strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science, located in the city of Rehovot, southeast of Tel Aviv. The operation is said to be in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists, according to reports by the Fars news agency. The Weizmann Institute is regarded as one of the most prominent scientific centers in "Israel". Its involvement in advanced scientific and security-related research and weapons production may have positioned it as a target in Tehran's strategic calculations. According to the New York Times, satellite images obtained by the publication confirm that the Weizmann Institute sustained damage during Iran's strikes on Sunday night, adding weight to Iranian reports of successful targeting. Moreover, CCTV cameras documented the impact of the Iranian missile on the institute. Israeli media also reported that a building housing laboratories for the institute had caught on fire, leaving people stuck in the building. CCTV cameras documented the impact of an #Iranian missile on the Israeli Weizmann Institute of media also reported that a building housing laboratories for the institute had caught on fire, leaving people stuck in the institute plays a crucial… massive Iranian drone and missile offensive has struck deep into occupied Palestine late last night, with air raid sirens sounding repeatedly across various cities and settlements amid fears of continued infiltration by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as Iran exacts its retaliation as part of Operation True Promise 3. Multiple Iranian projectiles scored direct hits on central Tel Aviv, resulting in significant destruction, injuries, and widespread panic. Israeli media reported that at least six sites in Tel Aviv were struck directly by Iranian missiles, including a high-rise tower in the greater Tel Aviv area, causing extensive damage and fires. In Bat Yam, an occupied city just south of Tel Aviv, heavy destruction was reported following direct impacts from Iranian missiles, with dozens of buildings damaged and flames engulfing several structures. Videos emerging show the destruction and the aftermath of the #Iranian missile impacts in Tel Aviv.#Iran #Palestine #BreakingNews
News24
25-06-2025
- Politics
- News24
‘Now is the time': Hostage families push for Gaza deal following Iran truce
Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza are hopeful that the recent ceasefire between Israel and Iran could create momentum for a truce with Hamas. Viki Cohen, whose 19-year-old son Nimrod has been held captive for 627 days, represents the frustration of hostage families. Of the 251 people originally abducted by Hamas on 7 October 2023, 49 are still being held in Gaza and at least 27 confirmed dead. Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza hope the ceasefire with Iran marks a turning point - one that could lead to a truce with Hamas and finally bring their loved ones home. Israel and Iran agreed to halt hostilities after exchanging missile strikes for 12 days, but Israel's offensive in Gaza has been dragging on ever since it was sparked by a deadly Hamas attack in October 2023. 'The Israeli government started a war with Iran without finishing the one still ongoing in Gaza,' said Viki Cohen, whose son Nimrod has been held hostage in the coastal strip for 627 days. Speaking at her home in Rehovot, a city near the Mediterranean coast, following the ceasefire, she hoped the Israeli government would now secure the release of the hostages. During the 12-day war, as air raid sirens wailed and military officials gave televised addresses, Cohen said she felt 'as if no one was talking about (the hostages) as if they had been forgotten'. READ | Israel returns 2 bodies of Hamas hostages in Gaza 'special operation' As soon as the sirens fell silent, the hostages' families resumed issuing statements and organising rallies demanding their release. 'Those who are capable of reaching a ceasefire with Iran can also put an end to the war in Gaza,' said the Hostages' and Missing Families Forum, the main association of relatives of those abducted in Gaza. 'Volunteer fighter' held Viki Cohen and her husband regularly join in demonstrations, holding up signs or photos to demand the release of the hostages, more than 20 months after the start of the war. On Tuesday, they were in Tel Aviv to attend the funeral of Yonatan Samerano, a young hostage whose body was recently brought back from Gaza by the army. At the burial, Viki Cohen embraced Yonatan's mother Ayelet. Nimrod Cohen, then aged 19, was kidnapped on 7 October 2023, by Hamas fighters while he was in his tank on the border of the Gaza Strip. 'Nimrod enlisted out of conviction; he was a volunteer fighter with an ideal of defending his country and its citizens,' his mother told AFP. She said: Now his country is abandoning him and not doing everything necessary to bring him back. In her son's bedroom, his figurine collections stand neatly arranged on the shelves. 'I even miss the usual mess in his room,' his mother said with a smile. She showed Nimrod's Rubik's Cube, which the army found in his tank and returned to her. As he never went anywhere without it, Cohen had a Rubik's Cube added to the T-shirts she had printed, bearing her son's picture. 'Nimrod is a wonderful child, a child full of light, very sensitive, with a very rich inner world... He is always ready to help; he never complains about anything,' she said. 'I hope that's what's helping him survive.' The only visual proof of life she has had of her son was a video of hostages released by Hamas. Though his face was blurred, she recognised him by a tattoo on his forearm. 'Window of opportunity' Of the 251 people abducted in Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023, scores have been exchanged in return for Palestinian prisoners during temporary truces. Forty-nine are still being held in Gaza, of whom at least 27 have been confirmed dead by Israeli authorities. Cohen said she feels 'immense frustration at having got to this point. Nimrod has been there for 627 days.' The hope of seeing her son again is what keeps her going. 'I've been picturing his return since 7 October,' she said. At the funeral of Yonatan Samerano, among portraits of the hostages and yellow ribbons - the symbol of the movement calling for their return - many of their relatives shared Cohen's feelings. 'Hamas is at its weakest point. It's possible to propose a deal that we, as Israelis, could accept,' said Ruby Chen, whose son Itay was killed on 7 October while serving in the army, and whose body is being held in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to crush Hamas and bring all the hostages home, while also weakening other groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. 'I'd like to believe that Netanyahu and his government understand that recent changes in the Middle East are opening a window of opportunity,' said Chen. 'After defeating Iran, after defeating Hezbollah, now is the time to bring everyone else home and end the conflict in Gaza as well.'
ABC News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Israel warns strikes against Iran will continue
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a statement during a visit to the site of the Weizmann Institute of Science, which was hit by an Iranian missile barrage, in the central city of Rehovot, Israel June 20, 2025. JACK GUEZ/Pool via REUTERS
RNZ News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Israel seeks swift action on Iran, sources say, with a split US administration
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a statement during a visit to the site of the Weizmann Institute of Science, which was hit by an Iranian missile barrage, in the central city of Rehovot on 20 June, 2025. Photo: AFP / JACK GUEZ By Humeyra Pamuk , Samia Nakhoul , Alexander Cornwell and Emily Rose , Reuters Israeli officials have told the Trump administration they do not want to wait two weeks for Iran to reach a deal to dismantle key parts of its nuclear programme and Israel could act alone before the deadline is up, two sources said, amid [ a continuing debate on the US President's team] about whether the US should get involved. The two sources familiar with the matter said Israel had communicated its concerns to Trump administration officials on Thursday in what they described as a tense phone call. The Israeli officials said they did not want to wait the two weeks that US President Donald Trump presented on Thursday as a deadline for deciding whether the US will get involved in the Israel-Iran war, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Israeli participants on the call included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir, according to a security source. The Israelis believe they have a limited window of opportunity to move against the deeply buried site at Fordow, the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear programme, said the sources. The United States is the only country with the bunker-busting bombs powerful enough to reach the facility, which is dug into the side of a mountain. Reuters reported on Saturday that the United States is moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, reinforcing the possibility that the US could participate directly in an attack. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground, such as the one at Fordow. A person in Washington familiar with the matter said Israel has communicated to the US administration that it believes Trump's window of up to two weeks is too long and that more urgent action is needed. The person did not say whether the Israelis made that point during the high-level call. During the call, Vice President JD Vance pushed back, saying the United States shouldn't be directly involved and suggesting that the Israelis were going to drag the country into war, said the sources. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also participated in the call, said a security source. Reuters could not determine who else took part in the call. The Jerusalem Post reported earlier that a phone call had taken place on Thursday. The prospect of a US strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Trump to power, with some prominent members of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war. Vance has frequently criticised past US involvement in conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan, but has lately defended Trump against Republican critics who urge the administration to stay out of the Iran conflict. Other Republicans, including Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have said they hope Trump will help Israel finish destroying Iran's nuclear programme. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to keep the US out of what he called "stupid" foreign wars, has himself seemed conflicted at times about whether to join the Israeli attack on Iran or focus on diplomatic efforts to end Tehran's nuclear programme. But his rhetoric in recent days has become increasingly aggressive toward Iran. Iran insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. The White House declined to comment for this story. The Israeli Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran's mission to the United Nations also did not immediately respond. Publicly, Netanyahu has not ruled out Israel attacking Fordow alone, though officials have not provided any details on how that would be achieved. Four sources said it is now increasingly likely that the country will launch a solo military operation. Israeli air superiority over much of Iran makes an operation more feasible, though still risky, said two of the sources. The Israelis feel they have the momentum and have limited time given the costs of the war, one source added. "I don't see them waiting much longer," said the source. It is not clear whether such an operation would involve bombing, ground forces, or both. Two of the sources said that rather than attempting to destroy the entire site Israel could instead do significant damage to it. That could mean focusing on destroying what is inside the site rather than the site itself, said one of the sources, declining to elaborate. Some analysts have speculated that Israel could use special forces to enter Fordow and blow it up from inside. Another scenario being considered, according to a source familiar with the matter, would be to drop a series of munitions in rapid succession in an attempt to breach the fortified site, similar to how the Israeli military killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah last year. Such a strike could be followed by an incursion by special forces, the source said. It is not clear that Israel has munitions powerful enough to penetrate the fortified facility. It is widely believed that to have a high chance of success, US intervention would be needed. But even with the massive firepower of a joint US-Israeli military action, military and nuclear experts believe that a military operation would probably only temporarily set back a programme the West fears is already aimed at producing atom bombs one day, although Iran denies it. - Reuters
Telegraph
21-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Inside Israel's ‘scientific crown jewels' bombed by Iran
Prof Eldad Tzahor can just about make out the remains of his office, high on the top floor of the life sciences and cancer research building. Or at least, half of it. The other half is lying in a heap of rubble and twisted metal at our feet. We are standing in the grounds of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, one of the pre-eminent research centres in the world and commonly referred to as Israel's scientific 'crown jewels'. The sprawling campus set among manicured lawns and colourful flower beds suffered two direct hits from Iranian ballistic missiles, in the early hours on Sunday. In the blink of an eye, years of cutting-edge research into human ageing, cancer prevention and regenerative medicine went up in smoke. Thousands of vital tissue and DNA samples were lost. At least one affected academic has since said they were on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Prof Tzahor, who was working on heart regeneration treatments, points to a sample freezer with a door hanging off, which is standing somewhat upright in the rubble. It stands near two enormous nitrogen tanks, which started a major fire when punctured in the blast. They now lie mangled on their sides. Mutilated extractor fans flop uselessly out of the side of the building, where they were ripped apart by the structure's collapse. 'Some of the studies we were doing take years and years of samples to build up,' he said. 'You can't restart them just like that. 'I suppose, just as we are trying to do with human tissue, we will have to regrow and regenerate.' For Prof Roee Ozeri, a quantum physicist who has given nearly 30 years of his life to the institute, the Iranian strikes were 'ironic'. 'We're fighting cancer and heart disease here, which helps all humanity – and they go and do this.' He points out that even Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader and architect of October 7, benefitted from Israeli medicine when he had brain cancer while in prison. But although the cost to science is undeniable, the narrative of mindless, or indeed accidental, Iranian destruction is potentially misleading. Military sources believe the hit was a deliberate retaliation against Israel's campaign of assassination against Iranian nuclear scientists. This is because of the Weizmann Institute's connections with the defence industry, as well as its alleged historical links to Israel's own shadowy nuclear weapons programme. Israel has never formally admitted that it possesses nuclear weapons – some estimates put its stockpile of warheads into the hundreds – although the programme is often referred to as the worst-kept secret in the Jewish state. Prof Ozeri, who is also the institute's vice-president for communication, smiles wryly as he denies any institutional involvement in nuclear weapons. It is as if he gets the question a lot. 'We are a basic research institute,' he said. 'We do fundamental science for the future of humanity. There is no equivalence [with Israel's actions against Iranian scientists].' As Israel knows better than most, facts on the ground are often swiftly obscured in the war of misinformation. Sunday's strikes swiftly gave rise to online discussions across the Middle East as to their military legitimacy. Ernst Bergmann, the father of Israel's nuclear programme, was the former head of the Weizmann Institute, whose scientists learnt how to extract uranium from the phosphate of the Negev desert during the 1950s. But that is a far cry from current involvement in any Israeli nuclear weapons programme. Even if links did exist, Israelis dismiss any argument of moral equivalence between the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and Sunday's missile strike on the basis that Israel, unlike Iran, has never declared its intention to wipe a sovereign state off the map. Nevertheless, this is not the first time that Iran has been accused of targeting Weizmann scientists. Last year, Israeli authorities said they disrupted an Iranian spy ring in East Jerusalem that was plotting to assassinate a nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute. Much more straightforward is the Weizmann's links with various defence manufacturers, such as Elbit Systems, to collaborate on bio-materials and other tech, which are openly stated on both organisations' websites. But Weizmann, named after Israel's first president, is not the only university to have such links, nor to operate under a veil of visible security. Although some students live on campus, no one was injured in the missile attack, thanks to the time of night and strict adherence to the shelter protocol. But dozens of Israeli civilians have been killed in the attacks – even those sheltering in approved bunkers. It has left Israelis in no doubt about the missiles' destructive force. At Weizmann alone, some 45 labs were wrecked, at a potential cost of $100 million (£74 million) to replace. Within hours of the strike, a young researcher, wearing a helmet, was filmed playing the piano amid the ruins. It was a symbol of hope in a time of war. But no one is pretending that the loss to science here is anything short of tragic.
