Day 7 Israel- Iran Conflict- Iranian Missiles Strike Israeli Hospital

(The Post News)- Iranian missile strikes several locations across Israel early Thursday morning, including Soroka Medical Center, the largest hospital in southern Israel, marking the first direct hit on a medical facility since the conflict began last Friday. The attack occurred just hours after Israeli forces launched a new wave of strikes on Iranian territory, including key nuclear sites, intensifying a conflict that is drawing mounting international concern.

The Israeli military confirmed the hospital in Be’er Sheva sustained “widespread damage” and urged the public to avoid the facility. Soroka Medical Center reported that the strike significantly impacted a surgical wing, though most patients and staff had been evacuated in advance as a precaution. Several individuals were treated for light injuries, the hospital said.

This latest exchange unfolded on the seventh morning of the war and has deepened uncertainty in the Middle East over whether U.S. President Donald Trump will authorize American military involvement. Trump, speaking at a White House event, maintained a vague stance, stating, “I have ideas as to what to do,” and adding, “I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due, you know, because things change.”

The ambiguity surrounding Trump’s position comes amid growing calls from Israeli officials urging Washington to intervene directly. Israel has specifically requested the use of American bunker-busting weapons to target Iran’s fortified nuclear sites. Military analysts and diplomats warn that U.S. involvement could push the conflict beyond its current bounds, potentially igniting a broader war across the region.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a stark warning in a televised address, saying any American military intervention would bring “irreparable harm” to the United States. However, there have also been mixed signals from Tehran. On Wednesday, a senior Iranian diplomat indicated to The New York Times that Iran was open to direct talks with the U.S., just hours after Khamenei rejected Trump’s earlier call for an “unconditional surrender.”

Trump has left the door open for diplomacy. He floated the possibility that either his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, or Vice President JD Vance could engage with Iranian officials to pursue a negotiated solution. A senior official in Iran’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would be willing to meet with high-ranking American representatives to explore a cease-fire with Israel, though Iran emphasized that discussions should also address the nuclear dispute.

Amid the flurry of diplomatic and military developments, Iran remains under a near-total internet blackout. NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organisation , reported a nationwide connectivity shutdown late Wednesday, citing a government crackdown aimed at preventing Israeli cyber espionage. Iranian state media confirmed that the blackout was intended to disrupt potential Israeli intelligence and military activities on Iranian networks.

On the battlefield, Israel’s military stated that its latest round of airstrikes targeted several sites in Iran, including an inactive reactor at the Arak facility. The IDF claimed the strike was meant to prevent future production of nuclear weapons material. Additional strikes reportedly hit a weapons production facility in the Natanz region, another critical location in Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

As missile sirens continue to sound across cities and hospitals in Israel brace for further attacks, regional stability appears increasingly fragile. With world powers watching closely and diplomatic efforts inching forward, the next steps taken by Washington may determine whether the war escalates or yields to a negotiated cease-fire.