Three killed, dozens injured; baby rescued from rubble; residents trapped for hours in safe rooms
By Kamal Yalwa Middle East Correspondent
Tel Aviv, June 14, 2025 — Israelis in central cities including Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and Rishon Lezion are describing scenes of fear, chaos, and devastation after a wave of Iranian missile strikes slammed into residential neighborhoods early Saturday, killing at least three people and injuring dozens.
The strikes, which began shortly after midnight, followed an Israeli offensive on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities and marked one of the most direct confrontations between the two regional adversaries in recent history. Although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported intercepting most of the incoming projectiles, several missiles armed with high-explosive warheads pierced air defenses and struck densely populated areas.
Trapped in Terror: Survivors Speak
“We shut the door, started watching the news through the computer, and suddenly there was a boom so loud that the whole building teetered,” said Tali Horesh, a Tel Aviv resident who was trapped with her family in their high-rise apartment’s safe room for nearly two hours.
“The entire living room was full of smoke,” she told Ynet, describing shattered lower floors, flooding, torn-off doors, and a ruined building lobby.
Colonel (res.) Michael David, head of the IDF Home Front Command in Tel Aviv, called it an “unprecedented event.”
“We’re talking about high-rise buildings with hundreds of residents. It’s a painstaking task ensuring no one is left behind,” he said, noting that rescue teams — including medics, firefighters, police, engineers, and sniffer dogs — worked through the night to clear debris and locate survivors.
Rishon Lezion: A Baby Pulled From the Rubble
In nearby Rishon Lezion, a missile destroyed part of a residential complex, killing two people, including 73-year-old Yisrael Aloni. More than 20 were wounded.
Amid the wreckage, emergency crews pulled a three-month-old baby from the debris.
“I pulled her into my arms and gave her to the first police officer I saw,” said Fire and Rescue Captain Idan Chen. “There were people trapped above, fires burning across the street, complete destruction.”
The baby sustained only minor injuries.
Neighborhoods in Ruins
Residents described scrambling into shelters as sirens wailed, and then stepping out into chaos.
“We were sleeping — my wife’s abroad — and when the siren came, I grabbed the kids and rushed to the safe room,” said Avi Gatenio, a Rishon Lezion resident. Minutes later, an explosion rocked the area. Gatenio said he helped pull an elderly couple from the rubble before rushing back to his children.
“Thank God, nothing happened to us,” he said, pointing to glass shards. “But glass like that can hit a kid’s central artery and kill them.”
Rising Tensions Over Nuclear Threat
Iran’s barrage followed Israeli strikes that reportedly hit key elements of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure and missile development programs, in what many analysts see as a preemptive effort to prevent Iran from reaching weapons-grade uranium enrichment.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, yet continues to enrich uranium to 60% — far exceeding civilian needs and just short of weapons-grade levels. Israel and its allies view this as a red line.
As retaliatory strikes continue on both sides, fears are growing of a full-scale regional war with devastating consequences.
International Reaction Expected
World leaders have called for restraint, but both Iran and Israel appear resolute. Israeli military operations inside Iran reportedly continue, while Iran’s state media praised the “heroic” missile retaliation.
The full scope of damage across central Israel is still being assessed, with rescue efforts ongoing and residents facing the grim reality of homes reduced to rubble.
