Overview

• Iran launched missiles early Sunday at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, severely damaging two lab buildings and several other facilities without causing casualties.
• Life sciences and chemistry research labs were destroyed, halting years of work on projects in fields such as cancer biology and neuroscience.
• Experts note the institute’s collaborations with Israel’s defense sector, including Elbit Systems, likely contributed to its selection as a target.
• Professors Oren Schuldiner and Sarel Fleishman called the assault a “moral victory” for Iran, lamenting the total loss of equipment and unique research materials.
• The attack marks an escalation following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear scientists and facilities, shifting hostilities toward academic and scientific sites.