Operation Rising Lion: Emergency Readiness in Action

Underground Medicine: Infrastructure Without Compromise

“We have a national role to be ready,” said Yoel Har-Even, VP of Global Affairs at Sheba.

That readiness isn’t theoretical, it’s operational, immediate, and mission-critical. In the face of unprecedented national threats, Sheba Medical Center once again demonstrated what true emergency preparedness looks like. Within 48 hours of the Iranian missile attack on June 17, 2025, Sheba activated full wartime medical protocols, safeguarding patients and staff while responding to a dramatic surge in demand.

Seventeen departments were relocated to secure underground facilities, including dialysis, internal medicine, rehabilitation (respiratory, neurologic, head), pediatrics, surgery, trauma, orthopedics, ENT, maternity, neonatal, and hemato-oncology services. Pediatric hemato-oncology patients were transferred to the bulletproof Cardiovascular Tower. These underground facilities offer full clinical capabilities, including surgical infrastructure, life support systems, and extended diagnostic operations.

At Sheba Medical Center, 294 patients have been treated to date, with 13 currently hospitalized—11 in moderate condition and 2 receiving emergency care. More than 700 underground spaces are currently occupied.

Performance Under Pressure

This transformation was not by chance, it was by design, as Har-Even articulated. To extend capacity, Sheba activated its Humanitarian & Disaster Response Center (HDRC) and began deployment of a 100-bed underground field hospital, with a second medical team being prepared at another protected site. Sheba also transitioned 50% of all ambulatory services to Sheba Beyond, its virtual care platform. A dedicated command center has been established to coordinate remote operations and reinforce care delivery beyond physical infrastructure.

Sheba prioritizes staff well-being by establishing on-site kindergartens, secure bunker accommodations, and flexible scheduling. These measures led to 95% staff presence despite the crisis. This outcome is a testament to Sheba’s decades of preparedness training and human-centered leadership.

From Complex Decisions to Global Readiness

Operation Rising Lion presents difficult, high-stakes decisions that go beyond clinical expertise, requiring clear ethical guidance under extreme conditions. Sheba’s leadership responded by developing new clinical and ethical protocols to support frontline teams in real time. These include how to allocate limited resources fairly, maintain care continuity, and protect both patients and staff in high-risk conditions. These frameworks are now being formalized into replicable models for global healthcare systems, designed to help other institutions respond with clarity, professionalism, and humanity. Combined with the lessons learned from the Iron Swords war, Operation Rising Lion reflects Sheba’s broader mission: to move the world’s hospitals from reactive crisis response to proactive, resilient preparedness.

Leadership When It Matters Most

Operation Rising Lion is not merely a wartime response, it is a comprehensive demonstration of what true emergency preparedness looks like. When the unthinkable becomes reality, institutions that integrate ethical planning, human resilience, technological infrastructure, and logistical foresight are the ones that lead. At the heart of that leadership lies Sheba and their steadfast commitment to protect life, no matter the circumstances.