{"id":56469,"date":"2026-03-22T07:24:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T11:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.info\/?p=56469"},"modified":"2026-03-22T07:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T11:24:44","slug":"iran-strikes-towns-near-israels-key-dimona-nuclear-site-180-wounded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.info\/?p=56469","title":{"rendered":"

Iran strikes towns near Israel\u2019s key Dimona nuclear site, 180 wounded<\/b><\/h2>"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"\"Israeli soldiers work at the scene of damage after Iranian missile barrages struck Dimona, March 21, 2026 [Ilan Assayag\/Reuters]<\/h5>\n

By\u00a0<\/span>Al Jazeera Staff,\u00a0AFP\u00a0and\u00a0AP<\/p>\n

The Israeli Ministry of Health says at least 180 people have been wounded in Iranian missile attacks on the southern city of Dimona \u2013 home to the country\u2019s main nuclear facility \u2013 and nearby Arad, in one of the most dramatic escalations since the\u00a0US-Israel war on Iran<\/a>\u00a0began.<\/p>\n

Iranian state television framed Saturday\u2019s strikes as a \u201cresponse\u201d to an\u00a0attack on Iran\u2019s Natanz<\/a>\u00a0nuclear enrichment complex earlier in the day, marking a stark new phase of tit-for-tat targeting in the conflict, now in its\u00a0fourth week<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At least 116 people were wounded in Arad, including seven seriously, according to Israel\u2019s Health Ministry, with extensive damage reported in the city centre.<\/p>\n

Another 64 were wounded in Dimona, with one in serious condition, the ministry said, with multiple shrapnel wounds, after several residential buildings were destroyed.<\/p>\n

Reports said the wounded included a 10-year-old boy.<\/p>\n

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a \u201cdifficult\u201d evening for Israel, and promised to continue attacking Iran, where US-Israeli attacks since February 28 have killed more than 1,500 people, including at least 200 children, according to Iranian state media.<\/p>\n

An Israeli military spokesman said air defence systems were activated during the attacks, but failed to intercept some of the missiles, even though they were not \u201cspecial or unfamiliar\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 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,\u201d firefighters said.<\/p>\n

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