(19 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rehovot, Israel – 19 June 2025
1. Various of damaged buildings from direct hit of an Iranian missile at the Weizmann Institute
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Roee Ozeri, Vice President of Development and Communication at the Weizmann Institute:
“So all in all, two buildings were directly hit and got damaged significantly. I would say about 50 buildings at the Weizmann Institute got some level of impact and damage. But out of those 50, only three more on top of the two that were directly it, were seriously damaged. Currently, we have a little over 40 research groups that have lost their laboratories and offices and research space, if you like. And these are the research groups that we’re finding solution for currently.”
3. Shattered glass at entrance
4. Various of damage
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Roee Ozeri, Vice President of Development and Communication at the Weizmann Institute:
“I wish that a day will come very very soon in which Iranian scientists and Israeli scientists would collaborate and work together and perform scientific research for the future of mankind. That’s what we do here at the Weizmann Institute, and I hope there will come a day where we’ll be able to do it together with Iranian scientists.”
6. Various of destruction
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Eldad Tzahor, Weizmann Institute’s professor:
“It’s hard to tell. Some of the stuff that we have been doing, you know, you can recover and regenerate. But other stuff, basically like samples, like tissue from animals, from patients, we cannot recover this. So we will have to start from the beginning. In terms of how long it will take, it really depends. I would say, on average, it will take us perhaps a year until the lab is up and running again with the full gear and the new place to work. However, to rebuild this amazing building, it will take about three to four years."
8. More of damage
9. Pan from standing building to building in ruins
STORYLINE:
For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran’s nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it.
Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields.
While no one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, it caused heavy damage to multiple labs on campus, snuffing out years of scientific research and sending a chilling message to Israeli scientists that they and their expertise are now targets in the escalating conflict with Iran.
Speaking in front of the ruins of one building, Professor Eldad Tzahor said that they have ”to start from the beginning.” ”It will take us perhaps a year until the lab is up and running again with the full gear and the new place to work. However, to rebuild this amazing building, it will take about three to four years."
In the long period of a shadow war between Israel and Iran that preceded the current conflict, Israel repeatedly targeted Iranian nuclear scientists with the aim of setting back Iran’s nuclear program.
Israel continued that tactic with its initial blow against Iran days ago, killing multiple nuclear scientists, along with top generals, as well as striking nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure.
The campus has been closed since the strike, although media were allowed to visit Thursday. Large piles of rock, twisted metal and other debris were strewn on campus.
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