Iran launches missile strikes near Israel’s nuclear site; over 100 injured in retaliatory escalation
Iran launched a series of ballistic missile strikes on southern Israeli towns late Sunday, hitting residential areas in Dimona and Arad and injuring more than 100 people, in what Tehran described as retaliation for earlier attacks on its nuclear facility at Natanz.
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in direct confrontation between the two regional adversaries, raising fears of a wider conflict involving sensitive nuclear infrastructure and drawing heightened international concern over civilian casualties.
According to Israeli emergency services, at least 84 people were wounded in Arad, including 10 in serious condition, while 33 were injured in Dimona. Two direct missile impacts caused extensive damage to residential buildings, tearing open facades and leaving craters at the impact sites.
Firefighters, quoted by AFP, said Israeli interceptor systems were activated but failed to neutralise the incoming missiles. “Two direct hits by ballistic missiles with warheads weighing hundreds of kilograms” were recorded in the affected areas, they said.
Paramedic Karmel Cohen of Magen David Adom described the aftermath as chaotic. “There was extensive damage and chaos at the scene,” Cohen said, noting that rescue teams worked through debris to locate and treat the injured.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “a very difficult evening” and said emergency and rescue operations had been reinforced. He urged residents to follow civil defence instructions while vowing continued military action.
“We are determined to continue to strike our enemies on all fronts,” Netanyahu said, as Israeli forces confirmed they were conducting strikes on targets in Tehran in response.
Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said air defence systems had been deployed but failed to intercept the missiles. “Emergency forces are operating on the scene now and carrying out rescue operations,” he said, adding that an investigation into the interception failure was underway.
The strikes reportedly targeted areas near the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center in Dimona, a facility long associated with Israel’s undeclared nuclear capabilities, though no damage to the facility itself was immediately confirmed.
Iran’s move follows reported Israeli strikes on the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility earlier on Saturday. Iranian state media said no radiation leakage occurred at Natanz, a key site located about 220 km southeast of Tehran, despite visible structural damage in satellite imagery.
WATCH: Impressive footage of Iranian missile hit on Israel’s Dimona tonight. pic.twitter.com/xtBvxQvR9Z
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 21, 2026
The United Nations nuclear watchdog had earlier said there were no expected radiological consequences from previous strikes on Natanz during earlier phases of the conflict.
The latest exchange underscores a dangerous cycle of retaliation between Iran and Israel, with both sides now openly targeting strategic and symbolic sites. The involvement of ballistic missiles and proximity to nuclear facilities has heightened fears of miscalculation.
Residents in southern Israel described scenes of panic as sirens sounded and explosions followed shortly after. “People were running, shouting, trying to find shelter,” said a local resident in Arad, speaking to Israeli media.
The escalation also comes amid broader tensions involving the United States and its allies in the region, with analysts warning that continued tit-for-tat strikes could draw in additional actors and expand the conflict zone.
Despite assurances from both sides about control over nuclear risks, the targeting of areas near sensitive facilities has raised alarms among international observers about the potential for unintended consequences.
Further developments are expected as rescue operations continue and both countries assess damage and prepare possible next steps in an increasingly volatile confrontation. [KNT]
