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Missile interception fragments have caused severe damage to a unique white lily preservation plot at the Simantov family's Seeds from Zion nursery in Israel. The incident occurred during an Iranian missile attack earlier this week, turning what was reported as a collateral hit in an "open area" into a significant personal and professional setback for the family.

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When we started, there were only a few dozen bulbs. Today we have tens of thousands of bulbs. We are practically the only place in the country that holds the original white lily from the Carmel - not a commercial variety but the real natural plant that returns from here to its natural location in the Carmel and to other suitable places in Israel.

The initiative began in 2004 when bulbs of the white lily, uncovered during the excavation of the Carmel tunnels, were transferred to the Simantov family for preservation with approval from the Nature and Parks Authority. Through tissue cultures, they produced thousands of new bulbs, returning some to the wild and maintaining others at the nursery for propagation. Zion Simantov stated that they are practically the only place in the country holding the original white lily from the Carmel, not a commercial variety but the natural plant.

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Our dedicated Thai workers called and told me to come to the site immediately. We found a huge crater, about six meters in diameter, right inside the plot. Parts of the area were blown away, and the damage is scattered over hundreds of meters.

Just a month and a half prior to the attack, the plot had reached its peak, with flowers about a meter tall attracting thousands of visitors. The family anticipated a large seed harvest to expand the project. However, the morning after the missile attack, they discovered a large crater, approximately six meters in diameter, within the plot, with damage extending over hundreds of meters.

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And that’s exactly the issue. This is not like an orange grove where you can count how many trees were hit and calculate their value. This is something unique, with almost no parallel in the country. You need an expert to examine what happened above and below ground.

Simantov noted that police and Border Police documented the scene and collected fragments, but no government officials have yet inspected the damage. Representatives from the Property Tax Authority are expected next week. The family faces challenges in assessing the full extent of the damage, as much of it is underground, and the maturity and survival of the lily bulbs take years. They are uncertain how many bulbs were destroyed, with the full impact potentially taking months or even years to determine.

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We still don’t know how many bulbs were destroyed. It could be hundreds, it could be thousands. Only in months or even years will we know the full extent of the damage.