Huge ‘fireballs’ rain down as Iranian missiles strike towns near Israeli nuclear research site

Videos showed massive fireballs striking the southern Israeli town of Dimona — home to a key nuclear facility — as Iranian missiles breached Israeli air defence systems in the area for the first time.

The escalation points to a more dangerous phase in the conflict as it enters its fourth week.

On cam: Iran strikes near Israeli nuclear research centre

More than 100 people were injured in Iranian missile strikes on Dimona and Arad after Israeli air defences failed to intercept at least two ballistic missiles, medics said. It marked the first known instance of missiles penetrating defences near the nuclear site.

Dimona lies about 20 km west of the research centre, while Arad is around 35 km to the north. Videos circulating on social media showed large explosions as missiles hit their targets.

The unverified clips appear to capture people inside homes at the moment of impact, with doors and window frames blown off and belongings scattered across rooms. Several buildings were reduced to rubble in the Saturday night strikes.

The attacks followed an earlier strike on Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz.

Rescue workers said a direct hit in Arad caused heavy damage to at least 10 apartment buildings, three of them severely affected and at risk of collapse. At least 64 people were taken to hospitals.

Israel is widely believed to be the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons, though it maintains a policy of ambiguity. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had received no reports of damage or abnormal radiation levels at the Israeli facility.