Middle East Crisis: Iran Bombs Israeli Hospital as Trump Hints at U.S. Military Role

The Middle East conflict escalated dramatically this week after Iran launched a missile strike on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, southern Israel — an attack it claimed was aimed at a military intelligence facility. The strike has drawn widespread outrage, prompting fierce retaliatory airstrikes by Israel and raising the spectre of broader international involvement.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran would “pay a heavy price,” while Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a chilling warning, stating that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “can no longer be allowed to exist.”

The targeted hospital was left in flames, with parts of its infrastructure severely damaged. According to hospital director Shlomi Codish, over 40 people were injured after a now-evacuated surgical unit was hit. “Entire wards have been destroyed. There is extensive damage across the hospital — buildings, windows, ceilings — all have been affected,” he said.

Ongoing Hostilities

The attack on Soroka Hospital comes amid seven consecutive days of deadly exchanges between Israel and Iran, triggered by Israeli airstrikes aimed at halting Iran’s alleged progress toward nuclear weaponization.

On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed it had launched dozens of fresh air raids overnight on critical Iranian sites, including the partially built Arak nuclear reactor and uranium enrichment facilities in Natanz. A military official stated the strikes were intended “to prevent the restoration and use of these facilities for nuclear weapons development.”

The Israeli government claims Iran has launched approximately 400 ballistic missiles and over 1,000 drones since the conflict began. According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 24 Israelis have died in the Iranian attacks, while hundreds have been injured.

Iran, for its part, reported on Sunday that Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Tehran, which has been enriching uranium to 60% purity — well above the 3.67% cap in the 2015 nuclear deal — maintains its nuclear program is strictly for civilian use.

Trump’s Ambiguous Position

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has added fuel to the fire by suggesting potential U.S. military involvement, though he stopped short of committing to action. Speaking on Wednesday, he said:

“I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do. The next week is going to be very big.”

Sources told The Wall Street Journal that Trump has already approved a military strike plan targeting Iran’s Fordo underground nuclear facility, but is holding off in hopes Iran will abandon its nuclear ambitions.

While Trump has previously championed diplomacy as a path to resolve tensions with Iran, his tone has shifted markedly in recent days, offering full-throated support for Israel’s campaign and describing the hospital strike as “a red line.”

Putin Calls for Diplomacy

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for restraint and renewed diplomatic engagement.

“I believe it would be good for all of us to find ways to stop the fighting and reach an agreement that guarantees Israel’s security while respecting Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear development,” he said during a televised briefing with international journalists.

‘A One-Sided War’ – Nigerian Ex-Diplomat

In an exclusive phone interview, former Nigerian Ambassador Suleiman Dahiru criticized the war as “a one-sided conflict” engineered to consolidate Israeli dominance in the region.

“Israel would not have attacked Iran without U.S. approval. This is internationally sanctioned aggression,” Dahiru said, referencing Trump’s praise for the Israeli airstrikes.

He emphasized that Iran did not initiate hostilities, and accused Israel of consistently provoking Tehran through strikes on its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi forces in Yemen, and targets in Syria.

“What we are seeing is Israel trying to remain the sole superpower in the Middle East, with the U.S. playing enabler,” he stated. “Even without direct U.S. involvement, Israel is operating inside Iran with impunity.”

Dahiru questioned Iran’s capacity for meaningful retaliation, citing the disproportionate death toll — over 200 Iranians killed versus around 24 Israeli fatalities — as evidence of imbalance.

“Iran’s nuclear facilities have been damaged. Top generals and scientists have been assassinated. But Iran is limited in how it can respond,” he lamented.

The retired diplomat also pointed to a lack of regional solidarity, asserting that Sunni-majority Arab states are either indifferent or complicit in the attack on Shiite-led Iran.

“Some of these countries may even be quietly celebrating. Sectarianism plays a big role here. Arab states fear Iran more than they care about resisting Israeli aggression,” he explained.

Dahiru compared the situation to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, saying, “First it was Iraq. Now it’s Iran. The West is determined to dismantle any regional power that challenges their strategic dominance.”

He was skeptical that diplomacy would prevail in the short term:

“Let’s be honest. At this point, the U.S. and Israel are not looking for negotiation — they’re pushing for Iran’s total incapacitation.”

As the death toll mounts and global tensions rise, the possibility of a wider regional war looms large. With Trump’s stance unclear, and diplomacy hanging by a thread, the world watches anxiously as the Middle East teeters on the brink of a new and devastating conflict.

Daily Trust

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