The bodies of two individuals trapped under rubble following a direct Iranian missile strike on a residential building in Haifa were recovered Monday night, according to Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services. Efforts are ongoing to locate two additional אנשים believed to be trapped at the scene.
Authorities identified the missing as a couple in their 60s, their son in his 40s, and his partner. Their vehicles were found in the building’s parking lot, reinforcing concerns they were inside at the time of the strike.
Complex Rescue Operation
The six-story building, constructed on a mountainside, sustained a direct hit that caused the upper three floors to collapse onto the lower level, where the victims were located. The slope and structural instability have significantly complicated rescue efforts.
Rescue teams deployed advanced technologies, including cellphone location tracking, to pinpoint the likely location of those trapped. Home Front Command units used a “tunneling” method, drilling through concrete to reach the متاثر area, while reinforcing the structure with support beams to prevent further collapse.
Heavy engineering equipment, including cranes, has been brought in to remove debris.
“There is work here involving cranes, engineering tools, and other technological means. We are combining everything to eventually reach the trapped,” said Lt. Col. (res.) Yair Pinto, commander of the national rescue unit.
Missile Likely Failed to Detonate
Security officials believe the missile that struck the building may not have detonated upon impact, and that interception systems failed to neutralize it. A gas cylinder explosion triggered a fire at the scene, which firefighters later brought under control.
Authorities also warned of a continued risk of collapse at the site.
Shira, a resident of the building, said the missing family lived on the shelter floor—the area most severely damaged.
“Miraculously, we got out okay. It was a matter of centimeters,” she said, adding that not all residents consistently follow shelter instructions during alerts.
Wider Impact Across Haifa and Central Israel
In Haifa, interception fragments struck a factory, causing property damage but no casualties. Israel’s emergency service reported four people suffering from smoke inhalation, including two five-year-old girls and two adults in their 40s. Several vehicles and residential units were damaged, and part of a building facade caught fire.
In central Israel, a 32-year-old woman was moderately to severely injured by shrapnel after exiting her vehicle moments before an explosion.
Residents described widespread destruction across multiple cities.
“I heard a huge explosion. The entire house filled with shattered glass,” said Meirav, who lives near one of the impact sites.
Multiple Impact Sites and Infrastructure Damage
Authorities reported approximately 20 impact sites across central Israel following the إطلاق of a cluster missile.
- In Tel Aviv, infrastructure damage caused flooding in one street, while a school and nearby buildings were damaged.
- Fires broke out in multiple locations, including a construction site near Savidor train station.
- A crater formed in a roadway, damaging a parked bus and surrounding infrastructure.
- In Petah Tikva, vehicles caught fire and one person was lightly injured.
- In Kiryat Ono, a commercial building sustained roof damage.
Additional light injuries were reported in Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva.
Ongoing Emergency Response
Emergency and rescue teams remain deployed across affected areas, working to extinguish fires, clear debris, and assess structural damage. Authorities continue to urge the public to follow safety instructions as the threat of further attacks persists.
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