JERUSALEM — Iranian ballistic missiles struck the southern Israeli towns of Arad and Dimona in March, wounding nearly 200 people, Israeli officials said.
The Israeli Ministry of Health reported that the attacks injured about 180 people, with the majority in Arad. Officials attributed the strikes to Iran, describing them as retaliation in the ongoing regional conflict.
According to Israeli authorities, one missile hit Arad, causing extensive damage to residential buildings, while another struck Dimona, home to Israel's main nuclear research facility. The strikes occurred on March 21, with air defenses failing to intercept at least two of the incoming ballistic missiles, firefighters and military sources said.
Rescue teams responded to damaged apartment blocks in both towns. Magen David Adom emergency services treated the wounded, with some suffering shrapnel injuries and others affected by building collapses. Hospitals, including Soroka Medical Center, received dozens of patients. Israeli officials reported no deaths but noted that 11 people were seriously injured.
Iran stated that the attacks targeted the area near the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, though strikes landed in residential neighborhoods. Israeli officials said the missiles did not hit the nuclear site itself.
The incident was part of a series of escalations between Iran and Israel. Iranian state media described the barrage as a response to prior strikes on Iranian targets, while Israeli authorities condemned the attacks on civilian areas.
"In both Dimona and Arad, interceptors were launched that failed to hit the threats, resulting in two direct hits by ballistic missiles with warheads weighing hundreds of kilograms," Israeli firefighters said, according to reports.
As of June, no major updates on additional casualties from these specific strikes have been reported by Israeli health authorities. Emergency response efforts concluded in the days following the March attacks, with investigations into the failures of air defenses ongoing, officials said. Details on long-term impacts remain limited.
The event highlighted vulnerabilities in southern Israel's defenses amid the broader conflict. Both sides have continued operations, but specifics on further developments were not immediately available from official sources.
