Sat Jun 21 04:47:39 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewrite as a news article:
**Summary:**
Following escalating tensions and direct strikes between Israel and Iran, an Iranian missile struck the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. The attack damaged multiple buildings, destroying valuable research and samples, though no casualties occurred. Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the site, condemning Iran and reiterating Israel’s stance on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The scientific community is reeling from the loss, with researchers estimating significant financial losses and setbacks to their work. The attack raises concerns about the targeting of scientific institutions amidst the ongoing conflict.
**News Article:**
**Iranian Missile Strikes Israeli Science Institute, Crippling Research Efforts**
**Rehovot, Israel -** In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, an Iranian missile struck the Weizmann Institute of Science, a leading research institution in Rehovot, on Sunday. The attack caused extensive damage to multiple buildings, destroying invaluable research samples and equipment, and setting back scientific advancements across several fields.
The missile strike occurred in the early hours, leaving the campus deserted and preventing any casualties. However, the destruction was significant. “One part of a building collapsed, while in the remaining part the walls were blown out, exposing a tangle of twisted metal, blasted debris and blackened cement,” reports stated. Physicist Roee Ozeri, Weizmann’s vice president, described researchers’ frantic efforts to salvage samples amidst the chaos and fire.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the devastated site on Friday, condemning Iran’s actions and reiterating Israel’s commitment to preventing the country from acquiring nuclear weapons. “Iran is the pre-eminent terrorist regime in the world,” Netanyahu stated, “It must not, cannot have nuclear weapons.”
While Iran has not claimed responsibility for specifically targeting the Weizmann Institute, the attack has sent shockwaves through the international scientific community. Researchers are now facing substantial delays in their projects. Eldad Tzahor, whose research focuses on regenerative medicine, lamented the loss of years of work. “Everything is lost,” he told Reuters TV, estimating a year-long setback to his research.
The institute estimates the financial damage to be between $300 and $500 million. Jacob Hanna, a molecular genetics team leader, described the scene in Nature as his lab’s ceiling had collapsed, and the staircase had detached. However, his students managed to save hundreds of frozen mouse and human cell lines by transferring them to back-up liquid-nitrogen tanks he had stored in the basement, Nature reported. “I was always worried that if a war actually happens, I don’t want to lose these, he said.”
The attack on the Weizmann Institute raises serious questions about the targeting of civilian scientific infrastructure during armed conflicts. The institution, while having some collaborations with the defense sector, primarily focuses on research with potential benefits for medicine and general scientific knowledge. The loss of its resources and expertise will have far-reaching consequences for scientific progress.
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