BEERSHEBA, Jun 20 (Alliance News): Iran fired a fresh volley of ballistic missiles at the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Friday morning, sparking a major fire near the Microsoft office and causing widespread damage, though no fatalities were reported.
According to Israeli media reports, one of the Iranian missiles struck a densely populated residential area, destroying several vehicles and damaging nearby buildings and infrastructure.
Emergency services rushed to the site as a large fire broke out. Magen David Adom confirmed that firefighters and rescue personnel promptly arrived and managed to contain the blaze.
The attack follows a similar missile strike a day earlier that hit Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, injuring more than 70 people.
The Israeli military acknowledged that its interceptor defense system failed to block the latest missile due to a possible technical malfunction.
Meanwhile, the White House said President Donald Trump will make a decision within two weeks on whether to take direct military action in the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.
“President Trump will base his decision on facts and the viability of near-future negotiations with Iran,” said White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt during a press briefing. “While the president prefers a diplomatic route, his priority is ensuring Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.”
Levitt reiterated that a future agreement would have to block Iran from enriching uranium and pursuing nuclear capabilities. “President Trump is always open to diplomacy. He is a peacemaker, but he won’t hesitate to use force if necessary,” she said.
When asked whether President Trump would seek congressional approval for any military action, Levitt said the administration believes Iran is still not in possession of a nuclear weapon, but noted that Tehran will face “serious consequences” for continued aggression.
She confirmed that the president is receiving real-time updates on Israeli airstrikes and regional developments.
