An Iranian ballistic missile carrying a cluster bomb warhead struck central Israel on Wednesday morning, critically wounding an 11-year-old girl and injuring 13 others in Bnei Brak.

The missile scattered bomblets across a wide area, with multiple impacts reported in Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv. Sheba Medical Center said its teams were “fighting for the life” of the critically wounded girl, who was struck by shrapnel along with her father, who was left in moderate condition. The two were apparently not in a shelter at the time of impact. The girl’s father — a Magen David Adom volunteer — administered first aid to his daughter before medics arrived, then lost consciousness, a first responder told Channel 13.

Rabin Medical Center separately said a mother and her son were admitted; the mother was in moderate condition, the boy in good condition.

The Bnei Brak strike was followed by three additional missile attacks in quick succession. Footage from downtown Tel Aviv showed first responders at an impact site near the French embassy, where a small crater had opened in the road. Images from Bnei Brak showed residents and rescue personnel carrying small children out of a damaged apartment building. Damage to cars, homes, and businesses was reported across multiple locations in central Israel.

Two of the later missiles were intercepted. A third barrage was permitted to strike open areas “according to protocol,” the IDF said.

In a separate incident, a 6-year-old boy in the central city of Rishon Lezion was struck by a car while running to a shelter and was hospitalized in moderate condition.

The attacks were compounded by a Houthi missile launched from Yemen toward southern Israel, which was intercepted. No injuries were reported. The Houthis claimed in a Wednesday statement to have targeted “sensitive Israeli enemy targets” in a strike they said was “conducted jointly with” Iran and Hezbollah. The Yemen-based group has fired several missiles and drones at Israel since joining the fighting on Saturday, having stayed largely out of the conflict during its first month.

Since the war’s outbreak on February 28, more than 500 ballistic missiles have been launched from Iran at Israel. The IDF reports a 92 percent interception rate for missiles heading toward populated areas and key infrastructure. Twelve missiles with conventional warheads carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives have struck populated areas, causing extensive damage. More than 30 additional strikes involving cluster bomb warheads have hit populated areas, leaving over 200 separate impact sites.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)