The Weizmann Institute: What to know about the high-tech Israeli facility struck by Iran An Iranian missile strike on Saturday caused significant damage to the Weizmann Institute, a key node in Israel's high-tech defence industry. FlipboardRedditWhatsAppXFacebook A barrage of Iranian missiles seen from Lebanon on 14 June 2025. [Getty] Iran struck the Weizmann Institute of Science near Tel Aviv on the second night of its ballistic missile attacks against Israel on Saturday, causing significant damage. Security camera footage showed several projectiles hitting the facility, damaging the façade of one of the buildings and triggering plumes of smoke. The strike caused a fire in at least one building containing labs, according to images obtained by The New York Times. The attack took place during a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones, which hit several targets in central and northern Israel on Saturday. Based in the town of Rehovot south of the Israeli capital, the institute is Israel's most important scientific research facility and plays a key role in the research and development of advanced weapons and military technologies. Established in the 1930s, the institute is named after its founder Chaim Weizmann, a leading figure in the Zionist movement who later became the first president of Israel. The institute offers master's degree courses and PhD programmes in scientific subjects and hosts hundreds of researchers and students. However, its strategic value lies in its cutting-edge military R&D, and it has served for decades as a key node in Israel's national security apparatus. It collaborates with the Israeli army and leading defence firms – such as drone manufacturer Elbit – on the development of advanced technology for a range of military uses. Over the years it has been made contributions to the development of Israeli drone technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and signal intelligence The institute is thought to have played a role in the development of Israel's clandestine nuclear programme in the 1950s and continues to research nuclear-related technologies to this day. It has also been known to engage in espionage and foreign intelligence gathering to acquire new technologies. FBI documents released in 2012 appear to show that the institute covertly accessed the computer systems of a US military weapons testing centre.

The IDF just rescued a Holocaust survivor from the rubble in Rehovot

The city of Rehovot was seriously damaged during today's Iranian missile attack on Israel. Rehovot is a city in the central part of the country, near Tel Aviv, located in the Shfela region. It is known as a center of agriculture, science and technology.

'Every benefit that an Israeli citizen is getting, the same goes to a foreign national that was hit by a missile or any act of terror,' says an Israeli diplomat NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A day after she would have turned 50, Leah Mosquera was remembered not with candles and cake, but with a solemn visit from an Israeli diplomat who came to honor the caregiver killed far from her home, in a war not her own. Mosquera, a Filipino caregiver from a quiet rice-farming village in Barangay Guinturilan, San Enrique, Negros Occidental was one of those caught in the crossfire of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. On June 15, a missile struck her rented apartment in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv. She fell into a coma and never regained consciousness. On July 13, she died in a hospital, just over two weeks before her 50th birthday on June 29. The day after she would have marked that milestone, Consul Mote Cohen of the Israeli embassy in Manila made the journey to her family’s home. He arrived bearing not only condolences but a message: that Leah’s life – and her death – mattered to the Israeli government. “Every benefit that an Israeli citizen is getting, the same goes to a foreign national that was hit by a missile or any act of terror,” Cohen said, without disclosing specific figures. Mosquera, known to her relatives as “Yumo,” was trapped under rubble when a missile struck her rented apartment. She fell into a coma and died on July 13 in a hospital in Rehovot, nearly a month after the attack. Her remains arrived from Israel on July 24, accompanied by her younger sister, Mae Joy, who also works there as a caregiver. The Israeli government shouldered her travel expenses. Cohen’s visit brought comfort to the Mosquera family, who said his presence affirmed that Leah’s 18 years of service in Israel had not been forgotten. “For us, his presence is a sign of respect for our sister’s contribution to Israeli society,” said Donna Mosquera, Leah’s older sister. In addition to Israel’s commitment, the provincial government of Negros Occidental turned over P190,000 in financial assistance to the Mosquera family on Wednesday. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said a similar amount was earlier provided to the family of Loreta Aclare, another Filipina caregiver from Negros Occidental who was killed in the October 2023 Gaza conflict. The local government of San Enrique also extended support to the Mosqueras, who are known rice farmers in the community. During a meeting with Lacson in Bacolod City, Cohen said life in Israel had returned to normal following the 12-day conflict with Iran, and that Filipino workers there were safe. “Life in Israel is back to normal, and the Filipinos there are as safe as the Israelis,” he said. Roughly 30,000 Filipinos work in Israel, most of them as caregivers, including more than 200 from Negros Occidental. Cohen expressed regret over the violence, saying Israel targeted Iranian military assets while Iran aimed at civilian areas. He said 30 people were killed during the conflict, including Mosquera, a Ukrainian, and 28 Israelis. – This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article. Consul Mote Cohen visits the wake of Leah Mosquera, a Negrense caregiver who died in Israel from an Iranian missile strike on June 15, 2025. courtesy of RMN DYHB Bacolod 'Every benefit that an Israeli citizen is getting, the same goes to a foreign national that was hit by a missile or any act of terror,' says an Israeli diplomat NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A day after she would have turned 50, Leah Mosquera was remembered not with candles and cake, but with a solemn visit from an Israeli diplomat who came to honor the caregiver killed far from her home, in a war not her own. Mosquera, a Filipino caregiver from a quiet rice-farming village in Barangay Guinturilan, San Enrique, Negros Occidental was one of those caught in the crossfire of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. On June 15, a missile struck her rented apartment in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv. She fell into a coma and never regained consciousness. On July 13, she died in a hospital, just over two weeks before her 50th birthday on June 29. The day after she would have marked that milestone, Consul Mote Cohen of the Israeli embassy in Manila made the journey to her family’s home. He arrived bearing not only condolences but a message: that Leah’s life – and her death – mattered to the Israeli government. “Every benefit that an Israeli citizen is getting, the same goes to a foreign national that was hit by a missile or any act of terror,” Cohen said, without disclosing specific figures. Mosquera, known to her relatives as “Yumo,” was trapped under rubble when a missile struck her rented apartment. She fell into a coma and died on July 13 in a hospital in Rehovot, nearly a month after the attack. Her remains arrived from Israel on July 24, accompanied by her younger sister, Mae Joy, who also works there as a caregiver. The Israeli government shouldered her travel expenses. Cohen’s visit brought comfort to the Mosquera family, who said his presence affirmed that Leah’s 18 years of service in Israel had not been forgotten. “For us, his presence is a sign of respect for our sister’s contribution to Israeli society,” said Donna Mosquera, Leah’s older sister. In addition to Israel’s commitment, the provincial government of Negros Occidental turned over P190,000 in financial assistance to the Mosquera family on Wednesday.  Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said a similar amount was earlier provided to the family of Loreta Aclare, another Filipina caregiver from Negros Occidental who was killed in the October 2023 Gaza conflict. The local government of San Enrique also extended support to the Mosqueras, who are known rice farmers in the community. Other Stories [Tambay] Hindi pinansin ng mga nasa Pinas, pararangalan ni King Charles Lagpas dalawampung taon nang nakatira at naghahanap buhay sa Ingglatera bilang edukadór si Edison David. Tubong-Tarlac siya kaya nabagabag siya nang mabasa niyang nangungulelat sa ‘reading comprehension’ ang mga batang Pinoy. Kaso dinedma ng mga taga-Pilipinas ang mga suggestion niya. Alex Eala thrilled to open 2026 with doubles win vs ‘pioneers’ Venus Williams, Elina Svitolina Alex Eala, 20, teams up with 18-year-old Iva Jovic as they overcome seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and WTA Tour Finals winner Elina Svitolina in the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand US strike on Venezuela to embolden China’s territorial claims: analysts President Donald Trump's audacious attack, capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, hands China an unexpected opportunity that Beijing will likely use in the near term to amplify criticism of Washington and bolster its own standing on the international stage, analysts say During a meeting with Lacson in Bacolod City, Cohen said life in Israel had returned to normal following the 12-day conflict with Iran, and that Filipino workers there were safe. “Life in Israel is back to normal, and the Filipinos there are as safe as the Israelis,” he said. Roughly 30,000 Filipinos work in Israel, most of them as caregivers, including more than 200 from Negros Occidental. Cohen expressed regret over the violence, saying Israel targeted Iranian military assets while Iran aimed at civilian areas. He said 30 people were killed during the conflict, including Mosquera, a Ukrainian, and 28 Israelis. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel?react now How do you feel about this article? This is not a paywall. Just log in or sign up for free to finish this article and get uninterrupted access to Rappler stories. Join thousands of readers staying informed, getting breaking news alerts, and connecting through the Rappler Communities app on iOS and Android. 👉 See what you get as a free Rappler user here. REGISTER FOR FREE

(July 13, 2025 / JNS) Leah Mosquera, a Filipino caregiver working in Israel, has died of injuries she sustained when an Iranian missile struck her apartment building in Rehovot during the June Israel-Iran war, the Philippine Embassy in Israel announced Sunday. “It is with deep sorrow that the Philippine Embassy in Israel announces the passing of Ms. Leah Mosquera, a 49-year-old Filipina caregiver from Negros Occidental. She succumbed this morning to severe injuries suffered when an Iranian missile hit her Rehovot apartment on June 15,” the embassy posted on Facebook. Mosquera was rushed to Shamir Medical Center, where she underwent many surgeries and spent several weeks in the intensive care unit. Her sister Joy, who also works in Israel, cared for her throughout her hospitalization. Joy shared news of Leah’s passing and consented to the public release of information. The embassy expressed its deepest gratitude to Joy and extended condolences to the Mosquera family in the Philippines. The embassy noted that Leah would have turned 50 on July 29. “Throughout her years in Israel, she dedicated herself to supporting her family back home — an enduring symbol of the courage and sacrifice of overseas Filipino workers worldwide,” the statement said. Iranian missile attacks last month killed 29 people, wounded more than 3,000, and displaced over 13,000. In a world full of spin, truth matters.Help JNS share honest reporting about Israel.

STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FILIPINA INJURED BY IRANIAN MISSILE ATTACK 13 JULY 2025 - It is with deep sorrow that the Philippine Embassy in Israel announces that Ms. Leah Mosquera, a 49-year-old Filipina caregiver from Negros Occidental, passed away this morning due to severe injuries she sustained when an Iranian missile struck her Rehovot apartment on 15 June. Ms. Mosquera was rushed to Shamir Medical Center, where she underwent multiple surgeries and fought for her life at the Intensive Care Unit for several weeks. During this time, she was lovingly cared for by her sister Joy, who also works here in Israel. Joy shared the sad news of her sister's passing and consented to the release of the information to the public. The Embassy expresses its deepest gratitude to her and extends heartfelt condolences to the entire Mosquera family in the Philippines. The Embassy also thanks the first responders who rescued Ms. Mosquera, her doctors and nurses for their dedicated care, the priests who visited and prayed over her, and the Filipino community members who offered comfort and support to her sister and friends during this difficult time. The Embassy is now working on the repatriation arrangements and the provision of all necessary assistance for Ms. Mosquera. Lovingly called Ate Leah by her friends, she would have celebrated her 50th birthday this 29 July. Throughout her many years working in Israel, she dedicated herself to supporting her family back home — an enduring symbol of the courage and sacrifice of overseas Filipino workers around the world. As we mourn her passing and remember her life, the Embassy also renews its call for the protection of civilians, including foreign workers, during times of conflict. May Ate Leah’s memory be a blessing. Nawa’y maging pagpapala ang kaniyang alaala. זכרונה לברכה #PHinIsrael

(July 29, 2025 / JNS) An 85-year-old man who sustained moderate injuries in an Iranian missile attack during the 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June has succumbed to his wounds, local media reported on Monday night. The victim, who was wounded when a residential building in Rehovot in central Israel took a direct hit on June 15, died at Kaplan Medical Center, according to Israel Hayom. His funeral took place on Monday evening. The Hebrew daily cited Elchanan Roth, commander of the ZAKA rescue organization’s Unit 360, as recalling how the victim was saved from the “heavy destruction” caused by the Iranian ballistic missile assault. “From one of the apartments we heard the voice of the elderly man who was moderately injured. We approached the rubble and spoke to him to understand his condition, and then, with the assistance of additional forces, we rescued him from the rubble,” Roth told Israel Hayom. “Today, we sadly received the news of his death,” stated the ZAKA rescuer, adding: “This is a difficult day for me and the volunteers.” Iran’s missile attacks last month have now killed 30 people in Israel, while wounding more than 3,000 and displacing over 13,000 others. Two weeks ago, the Philippine Embassy in Israel announced that Leah Mosquera, a Filipino caregiver working in Israel, had died of wounds sustained in the same June 15 missile attack. Mosquera was rushed to Shamir Medical Center, where she underwent many surgeries and spent several weeks in the intensive care unit. The embassy noted that Mosquera would have turned 50 on July 29.

An 85-year-old man who sustained moderate injuries in an Iranian missile attack during the 12-day war with the Islamic Republic in June has succumbed to his wounds, local media reported on Monday night… “From one of the apartments we heard the voice of the elderly man who was moderately injured. We approached the rubble and spoke to him to understand his condition, and then, with the assistance of additional forces, we rescued him from the rubble,” Roth told Israel Hayom. “Today, we sadly received the news of his death,” stated the ZAKA rescuer, adding: “This is a difficult day for me and the volunteers.”

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel – a prominent research institution that is home to about 2500 scientists, students, technicians and scientific support staff – was devastated by Iranian missiles on 15 June. The planetary sciences building, which houses geochemistry labs among other chemistry programmes, was effectively destroyed in the attack. Damage was also sustained to other nearby facilities. The Iranian strikes were launched in retaliation to Israeli missile attacks that began on 13 June, which targeted Iran’s uranium enrichment sites and its nuclear scientists. Milko van der Boom, dean of the Weizmann Institute’s faculty of chemistry, says around 45 labs sustained serious damage. ‘In my faculty, about 100 people don’t have a lab or a desk anymore, and for the whole campus that’s probably 400 or 500 people,’ van der Boom tells Chemistry World. ‘We don’t know the full damage yet, but probably it will cost more than $500 million (£372 million) and maybe close to a billion dollars to address across campus.’ Yael Kiro, a geochemist whose lab was in the planetary sciences building, says the facility is currently non-operational. ‘Definitely the lab work is completely paused,’ she says. ‘I arrived at the Weizmann Institute about six years ago, and it took me a while to establish and build my clean lab … I was very proud of it.’ Kiro adds: ‘The first time I went into the lab after the missile hit, I was very sad and felt pain seeing everything in this state.’ Kiro and her colleagues were able to rescue their geological, seawater, groundwater, plant and soil samples by quickly moving them from refrigerators and freezers that had lost electricity to functional ones elsewhere on campus. Geochemist Itay Halevy’s lab was in the same building, and also suffered severe damage. ‘All the windows imploded, a lot of the equipment fell off the benches, some of the cabinets fell off the walls,’ he says. Analytical equipment destroyed Halevy and his colleagues haven’t yet been able to fully evaluate the damage. However, he notes that many instruments will need to be replaced. ‘It looks like most of the analytical equipment will have to go – mass spectrometers, spectrophotometers, microscopes,’ he tells Chemistry World. ‘All of those are probably damaged beyond repair.’ ‘Some instrumentation we know is gone – in life sciences we had really great optical microscopes that are completely gone,’ says van der Boom. ‘But in our faculty of chemistry, I don’t know yet the status of our NMRs, MRIs and electron microscopes, for example.’ Sarel Fleishman, whose lab works on computational protein design, says that many irreplaceable biological samples were also destroyed. ‘Generations of students had worked on this,’ he adds. The planetary sciences facility was not hit directly but was damaged by the shockwaves generated when one of Iran’s missiles landed on a new chemistry building that was under construction. An initial assessment indicates that the new chemistry building can be saved, but van der Boom estimates that the project will likely be delayed by two to three years. Weizmann is ‘a ghost town’ Van der Boom notes that Weizmann has received a lot of support from national and international research community, who are offering to lend their lab space and instrumentation. However, he adds that the university has become ‘a ghost town.’ According to van der Boom, more than 200 international students and postdoctoral fellows who lived in Weizmann housing have been relocated off campus, while 70 had left Israel as of 20 June. Update: Additional images were added on 24 June 2025.

🚨 🔥 🚨The moment of the Iranian attack on the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot 🚨 🔥 🚨

❌🇮🇱 — Mass damage from a ballistic missile impact seen in Rehovot, Central Israel. Houses are seen on fire with rubble on streets

Shfela also affected A shopping center in Shfela was damaged after the Iranian attack. The international community is closely monitoring the escalation of the conflict. BreakingNews #MiddleEast #GlobalSecurity

Shfela también afectada Un centro comercial en Shfela sufrió daños tras el ataque iraní. La comunidad internacional sigue de cerca la escalada del conflicto. ÚltimaHora #MedioOriente #SeguridadGlobal

BREAKING : 20 casualties following rocket impacts in central Israel and the Shfela region – including one critically injured** In central Israel, 13 casualties are being treated: • 1 in critical condition • 2 in moderate condition • The rest are in mild condition In the Shfela region, 7 casualties are being treated: • 2 in serious condition • 4 in moderate condition • 1 in mild condition Pray for them

MDA Spokesperson: Following rocket strikes— In Gush Dan: Woman (60) confirmed dead, some 20 injured (moderate & mild). In Shfela: 24 injured near 3-entrance building (2 serious, 8 moderate, 14 mild). EMTs, paramedics on scene. Rescue ops ongoing.

Kobi Mor, Shfela region police commander, issued a statement, saying: "Following tonight's incident in the central district, our officers continue to coordinate the scene with emergency and rescue services. During a further situational assessment led by Commander Kobi Mor, representatives detailed the outcomes of searches for trapped individuals and the evacuation of roughly 40 victims so far, while addressing infrastructure damage to expedite the return to normalcy."

In central Israel, 1 person was killed and 65 injured—3 in serious condition, 5 moderately, and 57 lightly, MDA says. In the Shfela region, 28 were wounded—2 seriously, 7 moderately, and 19 with minor injuries.

DOUBLE STRIKE AND 37 INJURED IN REHOVOT: DESTRUCTION IN THE CITY AND ON THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE CAMPUS *** Two missile impacts occurred across the city during the barrage fired shortly before 3:00 AM. An Italian PhD student living in the Weizmann Institute dormitories told The New York Times about shattered glass and fires. In the second strike zone, residential buildings were severely damaged, and rescue teams searched for survivors. One resident said: “The house is completely destroyed — the bomb shelter saved us.” The city of Rehovot was hit by two direct strikes early Sunday morning in the ballistic missile barrage launched from Iran. The Weizmann Institute reported damage to buildings on campus, but said in a statement that there were no casualties. In another location in the city, about 2–3 kilometers away, civilian buildings were hit. A total of 37 people were evacuated to hospitals: two in serious condition, 12 in moderate condition, and 23 with minor injuries. The New York Times reported that footage from the Weizmann Institute showed fire breaking out in at least one building containing laboratories. The report quoted Alan Monziani, a doctoral student from Italy living in the campus dorms, who described shattered windows and a fire erupting. “It’s hard to say whether it was a direct hit or shrapnel,” he said. The Institute stated: “We are in contact with the relevant security and emergency authorities and are taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of our staff and campus.” #WeizmannInstitute #IsraelNews #Ynetnews #YnetGlobal #Iran #War #EmergencyTeams #OperationRisingLion #CAmpus #Dorms #Rehovot

Holocaust survivor Olga Weisberg, 91, from Rehovot, collapsed and died on Saturday, shortly after leaving hospital, where she was treated for serious wounds sustained in an Iranian missile attack during June's 12-day war. According MyRehovot, she underwent multiple surgeries in the wake of the missile assault and was recently released from the hospital to recover further at home. However, on Saturday, her health took a turn for the worse and she was declared dead when paramedica arrived. It has not been confirmed whether her death was a result of injuries sustained in the missile attack or due to an unrelated medical issue. Her funeral was held yesterday evening, with the family conducting a private ceremony at Gorodiski Cemetery in Rehovot. Weisberg reportedly left behind a husband, who is also a Holocaust survivor, as well as a daughter, grandson and great-grandson. It comes after an 85-year-old resident of the same city, who was moderately wounded in a missile attack during the war with Tehran, succumbed to his wounds last month. The victim, who sustained injuries when a residential building in Rehovot in took a direct hit on June 15, died at the Kaplan Medical Center. And, also last month, the Philippine Embassy in Israel announced that Leah Mosquera, a Filipina care workers living in Israel, died on of wounds sustained in the same attack. Mosquera was rushed to Shamir Medical Center in Be'er Ya'akov, where she underwent several surgeries and spent weeks in the intensive care unit. The embassy noted that Mosquera would have turned 50 on July 29. Iran's missile attacks in June have now killed 31 people in Israel, while wounding more than 3,000 and displacing over 13,000 others.To get more Israel news, click here to sign up for our free Israel Briefing newsletter.