March 23, 2026 | 11:11 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – An Iranian missile attack struck two cities in southern Israel, Dimona and Arad, on Saturday, March 21, in what Iranian state television described as retaliation for an alleged strike on the Natanz uranium enrichment facility earlier the same day.
According to Al Jazeera, the Iranian government said the attack was launched in response to what it called an assault on Natanz.
Dimona is home to the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, a facility widely believed to be linked to Israel’s undeclared nuclear weapons program, although Israel has never officially acknowledged possessing nuclear arms.
Casualties and Damage
Reports from Al Arabiya and Israeli emergency services said more than 100 people were injured in the attack. In Arad, at least 88 people were reported wounded, including 10 in serious condition. The city center sustained extensive damage, with several buildings hit and a fire breaking out in one of them.
In Dimona, 39 people were injured, including a 10-year-old boy who was reported in critical condition after suffering shrapnel wounds. Several residential buildings were also said to have been destroyed.
Footage from AFP showed a large crater at one impact site, debris scattered around damaged buildings, and shattered windows across the affected area. Rescue teams were seen searching through the rubble for possible victims.
Israeli Military Statement
The Israeli military said its air defense systems were activated but failed to intercept all of the incoming missiles. Firefighters said two ballistic missiles directly hit their targets.
“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,” officials said.
Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin also said the air defense system had been deployed but was unable to stop the missiles.
“The air defense systems operated but did not intercept the missile, we will investigate the incident and learn from it,” he said.
IAEA Says No Nuclear Damage Detected
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has never inspected Israel’s nuclear facilities, said there were no signs of damage to nuclear-related facilities in Dimona and that no increase in radiation levels had been detected. International monitors and media reports also said there was no indication that the nearby nuclear site had been struck.
The UN nuclear watchdog said it was closely monitoring the situation, while Director General Rafael Grossi urged that “maximum military restraint should be observed, in particular in the vicinity of nuclear facilities”.
The strike came amid near-daily Iranian retaliatory attacks following U.S. and Israeli military operations that began on February 28. According to reports, the broader conflict has killed more than 1,300 people, including over 200 children.
Read: Trump Gives Iran 48 Hours to Open Hormuz Strait or Face Attack
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