Four days after two Iranian ballistic missiles struck the grounds of the renowned Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, the extent of the destruction is becoming heartbreakingly clear. Entire buildings dedicated to cutting-edge cancer, brain, environmental, and earth sciences were reduced to rubble, and decades of irreplaceable research have been erased.
“The missiles completely wiped out decades of research. We will have to start from scratch,” said Prof. Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute, during a tour of the site Thursday morning.
Emotional Toll is Deep
Miraculously, no injuries were reported among the thousands of students, researchers, and staff who work and live at the institute. But the emotional and academic loss is overwhelming.
Prof. Chen, who has spent 30 years at the Institute since beginning his academic journey there, expressed visible grief:
“It is sad and painful to walk among the scenes of destruction. In addition to the property damage—estimated at over $500 million—a vast amount of research knowledge has been lost.”
Lifework Obliterated: “I Simply Cried”
Prof. Dan Yakir, Israel Prize laureate and chairman of the steering committee for a new Earth science building, stood in shock in front of what had been his “life’s project” for the past decade.
“So far, the cost of construction here was about $150 million,” he said. “This building had some of the most advanced infrastructure in the world. In the first days, I simply cried when I saw the destruction.”
The targeted sites included two buildings situated about 400 meters apart. In addition to direct hits, the blast wave damaged neighboring laboratories, dormitories, and student apartments, forcing the evacuation of over 200 international students and researchers, some of whom fled Israel through the Taba crossing into Egypt.
Priceless Scientific Samples Lost Forever
In front of the destroyed immunology lab, Dr. Ast, a researcher, expressed anguish over the loss of irreplaceable samples.
“There are samples we kept for decades, some donated by patients, others unique to rare diseases. Everything was erased, and there’s no backup. That is knowledge you can never recreate.”
Efforts were made within hours of the strike to rescue what could be saved—especially samples stored in specialized freezers at -89°C and nitrogen tanks at -200°C. Researchers risked their safety to retrieve these from the wreckage.
Microscopes, Devices, and the Heart of Research Lost
The destroyed science building was intended to house four of the world’s largest microscopes, with infrastructure specially built to accommodate them.
“We lost not just samples, but specialized instruments that took years to build,” said Prof. Yakir. “If you’re researching rare diseases, it takes decades to gather usable data. All that is buried under rubble.”
A Community That Refuses to Fall
Despite the devastation, the Institute’s leadership remains determined to rebuild.
“This is my home,” said Prof. Chen. “Weizmann researchers don’t work for just Israel—we work for humanity. We develop medicines that save lives. This is a small blow to the wing. We will rise.”
Chen emphasized the strength of the scientific community:
“The most important thing is that we have a strong community here. We will restore, we will rebuild, and we will continue to lead the world in science and healing. Our people are pulling samples from burning buildings—they do not break.”
At a Glance: Weizmann Institute Missile Strike
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Location: Rehovot, Israel
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Date of Attack: June 15, 2025
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Type of Attack: Iranian ballistic missile strike
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Casualties: None reported
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Estimated Damage: Over $500 million
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Impact: Destruction of cancer, brain, environment, and earth science research labs; loss of decades of samples, data, and lab equipment
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Evacuation: 200 students and researchers relocated, some leaving Israel.
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