Sixteen people, including multiple children, were wounded by fragments that impacted in central Israel after Iran launched cluster munitions on Wednesday morning.
A 12-year-old girl from Bnei Brak was taken to the hospital in serious condition due to shrapnel injuries, according to Magen David Adom. Her condition reportedly worsened following hospitalization, according to a statement from Sheba Medical Center, which added that it received a total of eight wounded on Wednesday morning, six of whom were children.
“I saw the girl lying in the living room, and her father—who is also an MDA volunteer—had already begun providing initial treatment," MDA paramedic Meir Zargarian told Walla."She suffered injuries to her limbs. We stopped the bleeding and evacuated her... in serious condition.”
Zargarian added that her two brothers were also wounded by shrapnel in their legs. Her father's condition was classified as moderate, according to a later statement from Sheba Medical Center.
A boy in his early teens and a woman in her 30s, also from Bnei Brak, were taken to the hospital in moderate condition, according to Magen David Adom. The two, mother and son, were wounded while the boy was trying to wake his deaf mother, who could not hear the advanced missile warning, and they did not reach the protected space in time, MDA officials told Walla.
The boy's condition was later described as serious following his hospitalization, according to a statement from Petah Tikva's Beilinson Hospital.
Iran attacks Israel with seven launches on the morning of Erev Passover
At 11 additional people who were evacuated to nearby hospitals were reported to be in mild condition, and a further two were treated at the scene. Several buildings were also damaged in the impact.
Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority reported at least four locations of falls throughout central Israel. One of the fall sites was near the US Embassy branch in Tel Aviv, according to Israel's Channel 12 News.
The launches were each approximately half an hour apart. Sirens initially sounded in central Israel at 7:45 a.m.
A short time later, at approximately 8:30 a.m., sirens sounded again throughout central and northern Israel as Iran launched another missile volley. No injuries were reported following the second launch.
Then, just after 9 a.m., Iran launched an additional volley toward central and northern Israel. The former was intercepted successfully, and the latter did not make it to Israeli territory and did not trigger rocket sirens in the North. Damages were reported in Bnei Brak from impacted shrapnel.
Just before 10 a.m., two more missiles were launched from Iran toward central Israel and were intercepted. One of the missiles was suspected to be another cluster munition. Emergency services received several reports of shrapnel impacts from multiple locations, but there were no reports of injured people.
However, a 6-year-old boy in Rishon Lezion sustained moderate injuries after being hit by a car in Rishon Lezion while en route to a public bomb shelter, according to MDA. He was evacuated to Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Hospital with a head injury.
