I saw fear in their eyes: Israeli rescuer
In the early hours of Sunday, June 15, the coastal city of Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, was shaken by a devastating Iranian missile strike that reduced two residential buildings to rubble, claiming six lives, including a 10-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl.
Amid the chaos, Ori Lazarovich, a paramedic with Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue team, witnessed scenes of terror and resilience that will haunt him forever, reports BBC.
Lazarovich arrived at the scene around 03:00 local time, as flames still licked one side of the shattered buildings. “I saw about 100 people pouring out, some crying, some clutching their family members,” he recalls.
His voice was heavy with emotion. “I saw fear in their eyes. They were grey, covered in soot, ash, and debris, choking from smoke inhalation.”
Coordinating a team of medics and rescue workers, Lazarovich and his colleagues began triaging the wounded in the street. The critically injured were swiftly stretchered to ambulances and rushed to hospitals. All morning, rescuers combed through the rubble, searching for survivors trapped beneath the debris. The air was thick with grief as residents, many in shock, returned to salvage what remained of their homes.
The strike left Bat Yam reeling. Among the victims were two children, whose deaths have deepened the city’s sorrow. Residents wandered through the wreckage, collecting shattered belongings and grappling with the sudden loss of normalcy. “It’s hard to process,” said one local, clutching a family photo pulled from the debris. “One moment you’re sleeping, the next your world is gone.”
Netanyahu visits the site
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site later that day, standing amid the wreckage to deliver a defiant message. Calling the attack “the premeditated murder of civilians, women, and children,” he vowed that Iran would pay a “very heavy price.”
Netanyahu described Iran as an “existential threat” to Israel, expressing sorrow for the victims and urging citizens to follow safety protocols.
Defence Minister Israel Katz, also visiting Bat Yam, echoed Netanyahu’s resolve, promising that Israel’s campaign against Iran would intensify. “We will bring those who attack us to their knees,” he declared, signalling no pause in Israel’s military operations.
Iran’s defiance
In Tehran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi defended Iran’s missile strikes as a response to Israeli aggression, asserting the country’s right to self-defence. Iranian authorities reported civilian casualties from Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Tehran, though exact numbers remain unclear.
Araghchi insisted that Iran would halt its attacks only when Israel ceases its offensive.
Israel’s stated goal is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but some officials have hinted at a broader aim: regime change in Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran’s leadership shows no signs of backing down, raising fears of a prolonged conflict. The tit-for-tat strikes have already destabilized the region, with oil prices surging 8% to $75 per barrel on Friday amid concerns over potential disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz.
Back in Bat Yam, Lazarovich reflects on the strength he saw amid the devastation. “Even in their fear, people held on to each other,” he says. “Families stayed together, neighbours helped neighbours.” As Israel braces for further escalation, the courage of its citizens and first responders remains a beacon of hope in a darkening conflict.
