An Iranian missile strike on central Tel Aviv caused widespread panic and devastation, with observers comparing the explosion to an “atom bomb” and an “earthquake.” This assault, which was part of a broader missile onslaught, targeted a bustling area in Ramat Gan and heightened anxieties in the context of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Tel Aviv was left in shock on Thursday morning after a missile launched by Iran hit the base of a high-rise building on Jabotinsky Street in Ramat Gan, located just 200 meters from the city’s diamond exchange district. Residents compared the intensity of the explosion to that of a “nuclear explosion” and an “earthquake,” as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran reached its sixth day.
The missile was part of a larger assault consisting of approximately 30 ballistic missiles fired by Iran, aimed at central and southern Israel. One of the most significant impacts was a direct hit on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, which serves as Israel’s primary hospital in the south, where numerous individuals were reported injured, six of whom were in critical condition.
In Ramat Gan, residents recounted scenes of devastation and disbelief. A small pizza takeaway situated near the base of the skyscraper seemed to bear the brunt of the explosion, while adjacent apartment buildings sustained extensive damage. Windows throughout the area were shattered. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties from this specific strike, as residents, now well-acquainted with the sound of sirens, hurried to shelters just moments before the impact.
“It felt like an atomic bomb. An earthquake,” stated Asher Adiv, a 69-year-old local resident, in an interview with the Guardian. Adiv, whose mother was an Iranian Jew from Isfahan, mentioned that he grew up speaking Farsi and felt a personal connection to the ongoing crisis. “The Iranian people need to initiate a revolution and oust the ayatollahs,” he asserted. “We are not merely fighting for Israel. We are fighting for the entire world. We urge Trump to intervene and resolve the issue.”
His wife, Anny, an immigrant from Morocco who has resided in Israel since 1969, reiterated the plea for international assistance, particularly from the United States. “We need Donald Trump to stand with us. He must take action against them to eliminate the nuclear facilities,” she expressed. “We are innocent civilians, yet they constantly threaten us and declare their intent to kill us. We had no choice. We witnessed the events of October 7.”
As first responders sifted through debris and secured damaged areas, the prevailing sentiment among the residents was one of strength and determination. “Our community is robust and resilient,” Anny remarked. “We will continue to fight, and we will either complete the Iran nuclear sites or they will bring us to our end.
The missile strike highlights the escalating severity of the Israel-Iran conflict and the catastrophic impact it is having on civilian lives. As the United States considers its subsequent actions, Israeli citizens such as Asher and Anny prepare for what lies ahead, surrounded by broken glass, unstable structures, and steadfast defiance.
