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2 dead found in wreckage of Haifa building hit by missile; 2 more people still missing
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Reported On: 2026-04-06
EHGN-LIVE-39266

Emergency crews pulled two bodies from a destroyed Haifa residential block early Monday after an Iranian ballistic missile breached air defenses. Two people remain unaccounted for in the unstable wreckage as the military opens an inquiry into the interception failure.

Extraction and Active Search

Early Monday, Israel Fireand Rescue Servicesalongside Home Front Commandunitsextractedtwobodiesfromthepulverizedremainsofaseven-storyresidentialblockinnorthern Haifa[1.2]. Authorities have not publicly identified the deceased. The recovery followed hours of manual debris removal, with first responders shifting heavy concrete slabs by hand under floodlights to access the lower levels. The structure sustained a direct impact from an Iranian ballistic missile, leaving the surviving framework highly unstable and at severe risk of a secondary collapse.

Active search protocols are ongoing for two individuals still unaccounted for in the wreckage. Initial emergency dispatches indicated the four trapped residents included a child and two elderly individuals, though officials have not confirmed the identities or ages of the two still missing. Emergency personnel are utilizing flashlights to navigate the scattered concrete and glass, operating within a hazardous and shifting debris field.

The exact sequence of the structural failure remains under review, and the military is investigating why air defense systems failed to intercept the projectile. Paramedics from Magen David Adom remain stationed at the perimeter, having already treated four wounded residents—including a 10-month-old infant and an 82-year-old man—who were evacuated shortly after the blast. The immediate operational priority remains stabilizing the site to safely locate the final two missing occupants.

  • Rescueunitsrecoveredtwounidentifiedbodiesfromtherubbleofaseven-story Haifaresidentialbuildingfollowingadirectmissilestrike[1.2].
  • An active search continues for two missing individuals, initially reported to be among a group that included a child and elderly residents, within a structure at severe risk of collapse.

Shelter Protocol and Civilian Toll

The Iranian ballistic missile struck the seven-story residential complex in northern Haifa on Sunday evening, shortly after 18:00 local time [1.2]. The kinetic force of the unexploded warhead sheared through the upper levels, triggering a localized collapse. Emergency responders confirmed that the two deceased victims were located outside the building's designated safe room at the time of the strike. Conversely, the majority of the block's residents who adhered to Home Front Command directives and remained inside the reinforced shelter survived the structural failure without critical injuries.

Medical teams from Magen David Adom treated at least nine casualties at the scene. Among the wounded was a 10-month-old infant who sustained a head injury from flying debris. First responders also extracted an 82-year-old man from beneath heavy concrete slabs. Paramedics reported moving large sections of masonry by hand to reach him. He was transported to Rambam Health Care Campus in serious condition, where he was sedated and placed on a ventilator following surgery.

With two individuals still missing in the unstable wreckage, search operations are concentrated on the lower levels where the heaviest debris settled. The stark contrast in outcomes highlights the critical nature of the brief warning window; those who reached the reinforced zones survived the impact, while those caught in the unprotected corridors bore the brunt of the kinetic blast.

  • Themissileimpactoccurredshortlyafter18:00localtimeon Sunday, causingalocalizedcollapse[1.2].
  • The two deceased victims were found outside the building's designated safe room, while those who sheltered inside survived.
  • Verified casualties include a 10-month-old infant with a head injury and an 82-year-old man pulled from beneath concrete debris.

Interception Failure Inquiry

The Israeli Air Force has opened an internal probe after confirming its defense arrays failed to neutralize the Iranian ballistic missile that destroyed the Haifa residential block [1.3]. Military officials stated that multiple interception attempts were executed as the projectile approached the northern city on Sunday evening, yet the defense systems could not down the incoming threat. Investigators are currently analyzing telemetry data to determine the exact cause of the breach, though the specific technical malfunction remains undisclosed.

Law enforcement mandated the clearing of adjacent properties after detecting a severe secondary explosion risk. Police Commissioner Danny Levy directed the evacuations amid concerns that portions of the warhead failed to detonate upon impact and remained active within the collapsed structure. Sappers were deployed to the impact zone to secure the perimeter, requiring search teams to carefully maneuver through the debris field while mitigating the hazard of unexploded ordnance.

Recovery operations faced renewed threats early Monday when a fresh Iranian salvo struck the identical sector. Defense officials assessed that this subsequent projectile carried a cluster warhead, dispersing explosive bomblets across the neighborhood and igniting vehicle fires. The secondary strike caused four minor injuries and forced Home Front Command units to adapt their extraction protocols, severely complicating the active search for the two residents still missing in the rubble.

  • The Israeli Air Force is investigating why multiple air defense systems failed to intercept the incoming Iranian ballistic missile.
  • Police Commissioner Danny Levy ordered evacuations of nearby buildings due to the immediate risk of an unexploded warhead in the debris.
  • A secondary overnight strike utilizing cluster munitions hit the same area, injuring four people and disrupting the search for the two missing civilians.
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