Tel Aviv: The Weizmann Institute of Science has reported an estimated 2 billion shekels (approximately $570 million) in damages following a missile strike on its Rehovot campus on Sunday, making it one of the most significant attacks on a scientific institution in Israel’s history, Israeli website Calcalist reported.
Three primary research buildings were completely destroyed, while several others sustained partial damage. The financial estimate covers only the physical infrastructure and excludes the immense scientific losses — including rare biological samples, sensitive research materials, and years of experimental data.
Among the destroyed facilities were life sciences buildings focused on cancer research and a major center for environmental sciences. A senior institute official noted that constructing even a basic lab facility can cost around $50 million, and when outfitted with advanced scientific instruments, the cost may exceed $100 million.
“Laboratory buildings are among the most expensive types of infrastructure, comparable to hospitals,” another senior official said. “The cost per square meter for a standard lab is around 25,000 shekels, meaning a single building can run between 100 to 250 million shekels — not including custom equipment, which often costs millions more per unit.”
Prof. Sarel Fleishman, from the Faculty of Biochemistry, said the destruction has been “catastrophic” for some departments. “In life sciences, much of the institutional memory and research value lies in irreplaceable materials stored in freezers and specialized equipment. Years of work by students and researchers may be lost,” he said.
Although Fleishman’s own lab suffered only minor damage, he has begun accommodating colleagues whose labs were entirely wiped out.
“These labs study critical mechanisms in evolution and physiology, with direct implications for cancer diagnostics and drug discovery,” he added. “This is not just a loss of infrastructure — it is a loss of intellectual legacy. Still, our community is resilient. We are determined to rebuild.”
Iranian officials have claimed that the Weizmann Institute of Science, which was hit in the recent missile strikes, is not merely a civilian research institution but also has links to military research.
Iranian media and officials said that work conducted at Weizmann supports Israel’s defense sector, particularly in fields like nuclear research, missile technology, or AI-related military applications.
