Which rocket was the first to get hit by a space junk?

The first rocket to be hit by space junk was the Delta 7 rocket, which was struck on July 24, 1996. A fragment from an old Soviet satellite collided with the rocket during its ascent, highlighting the growing concern about space debris in Earth's orbit. This incident underscored the risks that space junk poses to operational spacecraft and the importance of monitoring and managing space debris.