German FM visits Israel, tours Beit Shemesh missile strike site with FM Sa’ar

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul arrived in Israel on Tuesday for the first diplomatic visit to the country since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, holding meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and visiting the scene of a deadly Iranian missile strike.

Wadephul and Sa’ar traveled together to Beit Shemesh, where an Iranian missile attack recently struck a residential area, killing several civilians.

During the visit, the ministers met with family members of the victims. Among them was Smadar Katz, whose husband Oren Katz was killed in the missile strike. They also spoke with Shimrit Peretz, whose mother Beloria Cohen and brother Yossi were killed in the attack.

The visit to the strike site was organized by Israel’s Foreign Ministry as part of Wadephul’s trip to the country, which Israeli officials described as the first foreign diplomatic visit since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran.

Following the visit, Wadephul and Sa’ar began delivering statements to the media in Israel addressing the ongoing conflict and diplomatic coordination between Germany and Israel.