Iranian missile hits residential building near Jerusalem, causing deaths and injuries

Sunday 01 March 2026 - 13:30

A missile reportedly launched from Iran struck a residential building near Jerusalem, causing fatalities and multiple injuries, according to Israeli emergency services and police.

The projectile hit the city of Beit Shemesh, where the targeted residential structure suffered severe structural damage. Authorities confirmed that the direct impact resulted in the deaths of five people and left around eighteen others injured, several of them in critical condition.

Officials reported that the explosion triggered a fire and caused part of the building to collapse, complicating rescue operations. Emergency teams were quickly deployed to the scene to assist victims, extinguish the flames and secure the surrounding area.

Among the injured are individuals with serious wounds, including a child, while others sustained injuries of varying severity. First responders provided immediate medical assistance at the site before transferring the victims to nearby hospitals for further treatment.

Images from the location show a large plume of smoke rising from the impact site as firefighters continue efforts to control the fire. Authorities described the blast as particularly powerful and noted that direct strikes on inhabited areas remain rare despite the escalation of retaliatory missile exchanges between the two countries.

The incident highlights the growing intensity of hostilities and the risks faced by civilian populations amid the ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel. Emergency services continue search and assessment operations as the security situation in the region remains highly volatile.