Why did Iran target Beersheba? Is there a nuclear angle? Know about city burning after Iranian missile attack

Iranian missiles have hit the city of Beersheba in the ongoing war with Israel, hitting its hospitals, buildings and other installations. Soroka Hospital was among the targets, and Israel vowed revenge for the attack. So, where is Beersheba? Why is it important, and why did Iran attack the hospital? Please note that Iran and Israel are separated by 1,000 miles of territory. So the only major way to attack is through the air, which is why Iran is raining missiles on Israel, in the wake of the Jewish nation's offensive on the Islamic Republic that started on June 13.

Where is Beersheba?

Beersheba is a prominent city located in southern Israel’s Negev Desert. It is nearly 70 miles south of Jerusalem and 25 miles east of the Gaza Strip, where Israel is locked in battle with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Known as the capital of the Negev, Beersheba is the administrative and economic hub of southern Israel. As it is not located near a border, Beersheba is safe from conventional cross-border attacks.But it can be reached by Iran's long-range ballistic missiles.

Iran's attack on Soroka Hospital

Several people were injured in Iran's missile attack on Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center on Thursday (June 19). Iran claimed that the barrage was targeted at a nearby military and intelligence headquarters.

The missiles, it appears, were meant for the Southern Command of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Gav-Yam Technology Park in the city. The Southern Command is believed to be located some two kilometres from Soroka Hospital.

The attack on the hospital injured dozens of people. Casualties at the Soroka Hospital were limited as patients were moved underground in time, according to reports, but the building was damaged and on fire.

Israeli leaders called the hospital attack by Iran a deliberate war crime.

Beersheba’s strategic importance

The IDF's Southern Command headquarters is believed to be coordinating military operations in southern Israel from Beersheba. The city is near airbases like Hatzerim and Nevatim. These airbases are playing a crucial role in Israel's air defence and operations.

Beereheba also supports logistics and communication hubs. For all these reasons, Beersheba is strategically important, making it a high-value target Iran, in order to hit its military and civilian infrastructure.

Is there a nuclear angle to Beersheba attack?

Besides its role as a key urban centre hosting critical infrastructure, Beersheba is also located near Dimona. Some 20 miles away from Beersheba, Dimona hosts the nuclear research center of Israel. This adds to the strategic significance of Beersheba.

By attacking Beersheba, Iran is possibly sending a signal that it can come very close to, and possibly attack, Israel's nuclear installations too.

By using ballistic missiles and cluster munitions on a densely populated area like Beersheba, Iran is also possibly signalling that it can target civilian areas if it wants to.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.