Preparing for the Worst: Inside Jerusalem’s Underground Hospital with Sky News’ Dominic Waghorn

Israeli doctors in Jerusalem are preparing for the worst as tensions escalate in the region. Sky News has been granted exclusive access to an underground hospital at the Herzog Medical Centre, where capacity is being expanded in case the current conflict with Hezbollah becomes much worse.

Dr. Yehezkel Caine, who oversees the underground hospital, explained to Sky News that the facility is built to withstand biological and chemical attacks, with an airlock and blast doors for added protection. The number of beds has been increased to 350, with plans for an additional 100 beds to be added soon.

The hospital is preparing for worst-case scenarios, such as an all-out war with Hezbollah, where other hospitals closer to the front may need to evacuate patients to the underground facility. Dr. Caine emphasized the importance of being prepared, especially after the recent attack by Iran on October 7th.

Above ground, the Herzog Medical Centre continues to provide specialized care, including ventilator units, psycho trauma treatment, and geriatric rehabilitation. The hospital is also equipped to evacuate vulnerable patients to the underground bunkers in just a few hours in the event of an attack on Jerusalem.

As tensions on the northern border continue to escalate, Israel has launched a significant bombardment of Hezbollah targets. The threat of escalation into a larger conflict looms, but doctors at Jerusalem’s underground hospital are confident that they will be ready to handle whatever comes their way.