Israel Vows Retaliation After Hospital Strike, Defence Minister Says Khamenei ‘Can No Longer Be Allowed to Exist’

Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has delivered a stark threat against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring that he “can no longer be allowed to exist” after a missile strike hit Soroka Hospital in Beersheba on Thursday.

The strike devastated several hospital wards, triggered a massive fire, and injured at least 40 people, sparking panic across the southern Israeli city.

Iran claimed the missile was intended for a military and intelligence facility, but it landed on hospital grounds instead, causing severe damage to medical infrastructure.

“Khamenei personally gives the orders to bomb hospitals,” Katz said during a press briefing. “He has made it clear that destroying Israel is a goal. Someone like that must no longer be allowed to exist.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also condemned the attack, vowing that Iran would “pay a heavy price” for what he described as a direct assault on civilians and healthcare facilities.

Shlomi Codish, director of Soroka Hospital, confirmed that multiple units, including a surgical wing that had just been evacuated, were destroyed in the blast.

“Entire wards have been wiped out. The destruction is widespread—windows shattered, ceilings caved in, and buildings badly damaged,” Codish said.