Dozens Injured After Direct Hit in Negev City Near Sensitive Nuclear Facility.
A missile, a flash in the desert sky — and impact near Israel’s most secretive site.
An Iranian missile struck the southern Israeli town of Dimona on Saturday, injuring at least 39 people and hitting a residential building in the city that hosts Israel’s most sensitive nuclear facility.
The Israeli military confirmed a “direct missile hit on a building” in Dimona, located in the Negev desert. Emergency responders from Magen David Adom said victims were treated at multiple impact sites, including a 10-year-old boy in serious condition who remained conscious.
Video released by first responders showed flames engulfing part of a residential structure, while police images depicted a gaping hole torn through an exterior wall. Paramedic Karmel Cohen described “extensive damage and chaos” at the scene.
Dimona is home to a nuclear complex just outside the main town, widely believed to be the core of Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal. The Israeli government has long maintained a policy of deliberate ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities, describing the facility as a research center.
The strike comes amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel following a US-Israeli bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure, including the Natanz facility in central Iran. Iranian authorities have confirmed damage to sites associated with uranium enrichment.
Saturday’s attack marks one of the most sensitive direct hits on Israeli territory since the conflict intensified, given Dimona’s symbolic and strategic importance. While there were no immediate reports of damage to the nuclear facility itself, the proximity of the strike is likely to deepen regional tensions.
Israel’s air defenses have intercepted numerous missiles in recent weeks, but the Dimona strike underscores the limits of even advanced defensive systems under sustained fire.
As both sides trade blows against infrastructure linked to their nuclear programs, the risk of further escalation — and miscalculation — continues to grow.
