Iranian missile kills three Palestinian women in first West Bank fatalities
Jerusalem – Three Palestinian women were killed in an Iranian missile strike on the occupied West Bank late on Wednesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said, marking the first deadly Iranian attack in the territory and the first to kill Palestinians since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The missile hit a hair salon in the town of Beit Awwa, southwest of Hebron, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency WAFA reported. Thirteen people were wounded, including one in serious condition.
The Israeli military said its initial assessment indicated the strike was caused by a cluster munition, a type of warhead that disperses multiple smaller bomblets over a wide area, increasing the risk to civilians.
Iran has launched daily missile attacks toward Israel since the conflict escalated at the end of February, though there have been no prior reports of it deliberately targeting Palestinian areas in the West Bank.
Unlike most Israeli cities, where bomb shelters are widely available, Palestinians in the West Bank have limited access to protective infrastructure. Many rely on sirens from nearby Israeli settlements or cities for warning of incoming attacks.
The disparity in civil defence measures has heightened risks for civilians as missile exchanges intensify across the region.Rising toll amid regional warAt least 15 people have been killed in Israel since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering the current conflict.
The latest incident underscores the widening geographic and human impact of hostilities.The strike comes as streets across the West Bank have been crowded in recent days, with families preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
