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Iranian Missile Strike Devastates Israel’s Prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science

Photo credit - Associated press

For years, Israel has assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists to hinder Iran’s nuclear program. Now, as direct conflict between Iran and Israel escalates, Iranian missiles have targeted a leading Israeli research institute, known for its advancements in life sciences and physics, putting Israeli scientists at risk.

Photo credit - Associated press

The Iranian missile strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday caused no fatalities but severely damaged several labs, destroying years of research in the process. The attack sent a stark warning to Israeli scientists, signaling that they and their expertise are now targets in the intensifying Iran-Israel conflict.

Photo credit - Associated press

“Iran scored a symbolic win,” said Oren Schuldiner, a professor in molecular cell biology and neuroscience, whose lab was destroyed in the attack. “They struck at the heart of Israel’s scientific excellence.”

Iranian scientists were a prime target in a long shadow war

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In the covert conflict between Israel and Iran predating the current war, Israel frequently assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists to disrupt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Israel maintained this strategy in its recent initial strike against Iran, killing several nuclear scientists, senior military officials, and damaging nuclear sites and ballistic missile facilities. Meanwhile, Iran has allegedly targeted Weizmann Institute scientists in the past. Last year, Israeli authorities uncovered an Iranian espionage network planning to track and kill an Israeli nuclear scientist affiliated with the institute.

Photo credit - Associated press

According to an indictment reported by Israeli media, Palestinian suspects from east Jerusalem collected intelligence on a Weizmann Institute scientist and photographed the institute’s exterior but were apprehended before executing their plan. Given Iran’s less effective intelligence operations in Israel compared to Israel’s success in Iran, such plots have typically failed, making this week’s missile strike on the Weizmann Institute particularly shocking.