The strike landed in the moshav near Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, prompting the rapid deployment of first responders, security forces, and rescue teams. Magen David Adom said it treated and evacuated seven people with light injuries, while Home Front Command units searched the impact zone and checked for further casualties. The attack underlined the continuing pressure on civilian areas despite Israel’s multi-layered air defence system.
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The Israeli strike came amid a wider escalation that has kept communities on alert since the war began on 28 February. Authorities said the missile either evaded or was not fully stopped by air defences, and the Israeli Air Force is reviewing the interception failure. Hospitals in Jerusalem, including Shaare Zedek and Hadassah, received the wounded.
The barrage also coincided with reports of missile fire from Yemen, highlighting the risk of a broader regional front. In Eshtaol, where residents rushed to shelters within minutes, the immediate impact was measured in damaged homes, shaken families, and another reminder of how exposed central Israel remains.
