Tensions between Israel and Iran surged Thursday following a wave of Iranian missile strikes that injured at least 240 people, prompting a stark warning from Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant. In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Gallant declared that the continued leadership of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, represents a direct threat to Israel’s national security.
“The military has been instructed and knows that to achieve all of its goals, this man [Khamenei] absolutely should not continue to exist,” Gallant was quoted as saying.
The latest escalation comes after Iran launched missiles targeting cities across Israel, striking residential areas in Tel Aviv and damaging a major hospital in the south. In retaliation, Israel launched fresh airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the Arak heavy water reactor. Iranian state media later reported that the site had been evacuated before the attack and insisted there was “no radiation danger whatsoever.”
Amid these developments, former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering authorising direct military action against Iran. Sources close to the Trump administration suggest he still hopes diplomatic negotiations may resolve long-standing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Rising Civilian Toll in Gaza
Meanwhile, Gaza continues to bear the brunt of the regional fallout. An Israeli airstrike on the Shati Camp in northern Gaza killed 19 people—including three children and five women—and injured at least 70 others, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiyah of Shifa Hospital.
The humanitarian situation across Gaza is dire. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports continuous shelling and gunfire, including in areas where civilians are queuing for food aid. Hospitals are overwhelmed. At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus confirmed that patient numbers have more than doubled its capacity, with over 300 people admitted on Wednesday alone—many from food distribution sites.
A tent originally intended for pediatric and surgical care has now been repurposed as a trauma ward, holding 100 patients in space built for just 88.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Thursday that 69 people had died in the past 24 hours, with another 221 injured. Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, over 55,700 people have died and more than 130,000 have been injured in Gaza.
Southern Israel Also Hit
In Israel’s south, the Soroka Medical Center was partially damaged in the Iranian missile barrage. Fortunately, around 60 of the hospital’s most vulnerable patients had been moved to the basement earlier in the week—a space previously used as a daycare for hospital staff children. Dr. Dana Braiman told reporters the early relocation “likely saved lives,” noting that many of the original hospital beds were destroyed in the strike.
Preparations are underway to move more patients to nearby clinics as a precaution.
Global Response
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis are ongoing. Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. Both agreed that “Iran must not have the atomic bomb,” and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, alongside the restoration of humanitarian aid.
Rubio reiterated the Trump administration’s support for these objectives, stating that de-escalation remains a top priority.
