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Over 100 injured in Israel after Iran strikes towns near nuclear research centre
Strikes were initially reported from Israeli town of Dimona, in what Iran said was retaliation for strikes on its own nuclear site at Natanz.
Iran on Saturday launched strikes on the Israeli town of Dimona and Arad, causing extensive damage and injuring several people. The town of Dimona, home to a nuclear facility, was hit first, followed by the strike on Arad.
Israeli Ministry in an X post said that the Iranian regime devastated Arad and Dimona by “deliberately striking civilians with missiles”. Over 100 people were injured, including children, it said.
"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," AFP reported, quoting firefighters.
Israeli firefighters said that a "direct hit" by an Iranian missile on the southern Israeli town of Arad on Saturday caused extensive damage, with medics reporting at least 59 people were wounded.
Strikes hit Dimona town
Strikes were initially reported from the Israeli town of Dimona, in what Iran said was retaliation for strikes on its own nuclear site at Natanz.
Dimona hosts a facility just outside the main town widely believed to possess the Middle East's sole nuclear arsenal, although Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons.
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Israeli army told AFP that the strikes led to a "direct missile hit on a building" in Dimona, with Magen David Adom first responders saying their teams treated 33 people injured at multiple sites, including a 10-year-old boy in serious condition with shrapnel wounds.
"There was extensive damage and chaos at the scene," paramedic Karmel Cohen was quoted as saying. The Israeli military said that "interception attempts were carried out" after the missiles were detected.
Images shared by Israeli media showed an object hurtling out of the sky at high speed before crashing into the town.
Also read: Iran's Natanz nuclear facility hit by US-Israel strikes: Why the site is key | World News
Attack on Arad, hours later
Just hours after the first strike on Dimona, Israel reported an attack on the town of Arad, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) northeast of Dimona.
Israeli medics said 59 people were wounded in the strike, raising initial casualty figures.
"Paramedics are providing medical treatment and transporting 59 patients to hospitals via dozens of ambulances," Israel's Magen David Adom first responders reportedly said.
"Among them are 6 patients in serious condition, 13 patients in moderate condition, and 40 patients in mild condition," it added.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Saturday it was aware of reports that a projectile had struck the city of Dimona in Israel but had received no indication of damage to the Negev nuclear research center there.
US Israel attacked Natanz facility
On Saturday morning, the US and Israel launched an attack on the Natanz uranium-enrichment facility of Iran. The Natanz nuclear facility was among the three that US struck in June last year during the then conflict with Iran.
