Beersheba: Israel's foreign ministry reported a direct hit on Soroka Medical Center, the largest hospital in southern Israel, on Thursday, after Iran fired a fresh salvo of missiles at the country.

A spokesperson for the hospital reported "damage to the hospital and extensive damage in various areas. We are currently assessing the damage, including injuries. We ask the public not to come to the hospital at this time."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed on Thursday that the hospital, located in the city of Beersheba, was directly hit during the latest round of missile attacks. While the extent of the damage is still being assessed, emergency response teams have been deployed to the scene.

Another missile hit a high-rise building and several other residential buildings in at least two sites near Tel Aviv. At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service.

A hospital statement said several parts of the medical center were damaged and that the emergency room was treating several minor injuries. The hospital was closed to all new patients except for life-threatening cases. It was not immediately clear how many were wounded in the strike.

Many hospitals in Israel activated emergency plans in the past week, converting underground parking to hospital floors and move patients underground, especially those who are on ventilators or are difficult to move quickly.

The strike came as Israel attacked Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, Iranian state television said Thursday.

The report said there was “no radiation danger whatsoever.” An Iranian state television reporter, on live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage done to civilian areas around the reactor.

Israel had warned earlier Thursday morning it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area.

The Israeli military said Thursday’s round of airstrikes targeted Tehran and other areas of Iran, without elaborating. It later said Iran fired a new salvo of missiles at Israel and told the public to take shelter.

Israel's seventh day of airstrikes on Iran came a day after Iran’s supreme leader rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage to them.” Israel also lifted some restrictions on daily life, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing.

(With inputs from AP)