An anti-aircraft missile that was launched from Syria during an Israeli airstrike Saturday night exploded in the air and its remains fell in Rahat, a Bedouin, Muslim-Israeli city about 400 south km from the launch site. The fall of the missile led to a loud explosion that was heard throughout central Israel and in the south of the country. Later, Israeli fighter jets attacked the battery that launched the missile, along with other targets in the area within Syria. The IDF stated that there are no special instructions for the Home Front Command which is charged with providing guidance to citizens when danger is near.
The huge remains of the anti-aircraft missile were located by residents of Rahat, and the police were informed IDF engineering forces were operating in the city to isolate the scenes where they were located. In addition, the police called on the residents of the area to obey the instructions of the security forces in the field and to avoid coming to the scenes. No one was hurt by the fall of the anti-aircraft missile. Rahat is located in southern Israel just northwest of Beersheba.
Part of the anti-aircraft missile fired by #Syria overnight, that exploded over #Israel and landed in the southern city of Rahat. A major catastrophe nearly averted. One must also ask where Syria obtained this missile from ... pic.twitter.com/4qqUEjakTc
ā Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) July 2, 2023
Even before it was known what led to the goat explosion, an Israeli attack was reported in Syria. The country's air defense systems were activated, among other things, in Tartus and Homs. The Syrian anti-aircraft missile that was launched in that attack traveled a huge distance, and its remains were found in Rahat, in several different locations. Ahmed Alhuzeil, the city councilor of the city of Rahat, said that "Several parts of a missile fell in the neighborhoods of the city. In neighborhoods 24 and 34 and in two other arenas in complex 5, where the new neighborhoods of the city are."
If it was launched from Syria and exploded over Rahat, then it traveled over much of the country. That is... disturbing. pic.twitter.com/gyv5x61Tdo
ā EinLi Eretz Aheret #JusticeforMalkiRoth (@EnLiEretzAheret) July 2, 2023
Sami Alkirnawi, a Rahat resident, said that "I was sitting in the living room, and suddenly I heard a very loud boom. I panicked. I got dressed, jumped up, and suddenly a friend told me that this long, heavy, and huge missile fell into an open area. I immediately raised my hands to the sky and said: 'Thank God.' It's a great miracle that it didn't fall on a house, otherwise, it would have crushed it and broken it into tiny pieces. I want to convey a message to all those who threaten the State of Israel: if it rains here, they will have a flood of unequivocal proportions."
Fragments of a Syrian anti-aircraft missile fell in Rahat, southern Israel following Israeli air strikes in Syria overnight. The IDF says it retaliated against the battery that fired the missile. pic.twitter.com/aj3Jx0jFxN
ā Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) July 2, 2023
Raad Al-Obra, also a resident of Rahat, shared: " People were shocked. The children were sleeping. It happened near a populated area. The fall was right between the houses. It caused damage to the roof, but no one was hurt. The children were sleeping but the young people were hanging out outside."
