An investigation into the deadly Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh has found that most of the victims were not inside the shelter that took the direct hit.

According to findings published in Haaretz, only two of the nine people killed were inside the shelter itself, even though roughly thirty residents had gathered there when the missile struck.

The investigation determined that the majority of those inside the protected space survived the blast despite the direct impact.

One victim was standing at the entrance to the shelter at the moment of the explosion, while six others were outside the structure when the missile hit, the report said. Dozens of additional residents were wounded by the force of the blast.

One resident told Haaretz that the explosion occurred while the air raid siren was still sounding, while another said the blast was heard even before the alert could fully register.

Despite the catastrophic impact, Israel’s Home Front Command concluded that the shelter itself met all required safety standards, suggesting the heavy casualties resulted largely from people who had not yet reached the protected space.

The missile that struck Beit Shemesh carried a warhead weighing more than 400 kilograms (880 pounds), making it one of the most powerful munitions to hit Israel since the conflict began. The massive payload generated a blast wave strong enough to devastate the immediate area and cause injuries even to those who had taken cover nearby.

The nine people killed in the strike were identified as Bruria Cohen hy”d, 76, and her son Yossi Cohen hy”d, 41, who were inside the shelter when it was hit. Oren Katz hy”d, 46, was standing on the staircase leading down to the shelter at the time of the explosion.

Six additional victims were outside the shelter when the missile struck: Sarah Elimelech hy”d and her daughter Ronit Elimelech hy”d, Gavriel Revach hy”d, 16, and siblings Yaakov Biton hy”d, 16, Avigail Biton hy”d, 15, and Sarah Biton hy”d, 13.

The attack was the deadliest single incident inside Israel since the war began.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)