Tragedy in Ramat Gan: Elderly Couple Killed by Direct Hit
The missile hit a residential building in the city, one of several impact sites across the Dan region. The couple were on their way to the protected room in their apartment when the missile struck.
An elderly couple in their 70s were killed overnight in Ramat Gan after being struck by shrapnel from an Iranian cluster missile barrage targeting central Israel.
The missile hit a residential building in the city, one of several impact sites across the Dan region. Additional damage was reported in Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, and near Tel Aviv’s Savidor Central railway station.
According to initial findings, the couple were on their way to the protected room in their apartment when the missile struck. They were found in the stairwell, just meters from safety.
Emergency responders described a severe scene.
“We saw heavy destruction, smoke, and shattered glass,” MDA paramedics said. “Two victims were located unconscious, without pulse or breathing, with severe injuries. We had no choice but to pronounce them dead at the scene.”
Firefighters had difficulty reaching the apartment due to structural damage, including a partially collapsed ceiling. Rescue teams eventually extracted the couple from the debris.
Officials said the warhead that struck the building was relatively small but still caused fatal damage due to its direct impact and fragmentation.
A preliminary assessment indicates the projectile penetrated the apartment from the balcony and exploded inside, causing extensive internal damage.
Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen described the incident as one of the most severe of the night.
“This is a deadly scene and among the most difficult moments of this operation,” he said. “These residents could have been saved if they had reached the protected space in time.”
He urged residents to strictly follow Home Front Command instructions, stressing that entering a protected room immediately upon hearing a siren is critical.
Emergency services reported additional casualties across multiple sites, including at least one person lightly injured by shrapnel.
Iran said the barrage was carried out in retaliation for the reported assassination of senior Iranian official Ali Larijani.
Meanwhile, police and bomb disposal units continue to operate across several impact zones, warning the public not to approach missile fragments or debris.