A young girl was critically wounded and 13 others were injured to various degrees Wednesday morning after an Iranian ballistic missile attack on central Israel, as people around the country prepared to mark the Passover Seder.

The injuries in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, occurred after an Iranian missile carrying a cluster bomb warhead spread bomblets over a wide area. Multiple impacts were reported in Bnei Brak as well as in Tel Aviv, according to rescue services.

The attack on central Israel was followed by three others in quick succession. Separately, Yemen’s Houthis fired a missile at the south in the morning, as they ratcheted up their resurgent offensive on the country.

Sheba Medical Center said its teams were “fighting for the life” of the 11-year-old girl who was hit by shrapnel in Bnei Brak, and whose father was in moderate condition. The two were apparently not in a shelter at the time of the missile strike.

The girl’s father, a Magen David Adom volunteer, applied first aid to his daughter before medics arrived, then lost consciousness, one of the first responders told Channel 13 news.

A spokesperson for Rabin Medical Center said a woman and her son were admitted to the hospital. The mother was in moderate condition, while the boy was in good condition.

Separately, a 6-year-old boy was hit by a car while on his way to a shelter in the central city of Rishon Lezion, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said. The boy was hospitalized in moderate condition.

Images from Bnei Brak showed first responders and residents carrying small children out of an apartment building that was hit.

Footage and images from downtown Tel Aviv showed first responders at another impact site and a small crater on the road near the French embassy. Damage to cars, homes and businesses was reported in several locations throughout central Israel.

Two of the missiles fired later were intercepted, while another barrage was allowed to strike open areas “according to protocol,” the IDF said.

The IDF said the ballistic missile launched by the Houthis was intercepted. No injuries were reported. Sirens had sounded in Beersheba and across the south.

The Houthis have fired several missiles and drones at Israel since joining the fighting on Saturday, after staying out of the conflict for most of its first month.

In a Wednesday statement, the Houthis claimed to have targeted “sensitive Israeli enemy targets” in the south with a “barrage of ballistic missiles.” They also claimed the attack was “conducted jointly with” Iran and Hezbollah.

More than 500 ballistic missiles have been launched from Iran at Israel since the start of the war on February 28, with the military reporting an interception rate of 92 percent of attacks heading for populated areas and key infrastructure.

In all, 12 missiles carrying conventional warheads with hundreds of kilograms of explosives have struck populated areas in Israel, causing extensive damage. There have also been more than 30 incidents of missiles carrying cluster bomb warheads hitting populated areas, with over 200 separate impact sites.

AFP contributed to this report.

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