Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Mar 22: At least 180 people were injured after Iranian missile strikes targeted southern Israeli cities, including Dimona—home to a key nuclear facility—and Arad, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict.

According to Israel’s Health Ministry, at least 116 people were wounded in Arad, including seven seriously, with extensive damage reported in the city centre. Another 64 people were injured in Dimona, with residential buildings sustaining heavy damage. Among the injured was reportedly a 10-year-old boy.

Iranian state media described the strikes as retaliation for an earlier attack on the Natanz nuclear enrichment complex, signalling an intensification of tit-for-tat actions in the conflict, now in its fourth week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed it a “difficult” evening and vowed continued military action against Iran. Reports indicate that US-Israel strikes since February 28 have resulted in significant casualties in Iran, according to Iranian sources.

Israeli officials said air defence systems were activated during the missile attack, but some failed to intercept incoming threats, resulting in direct hits by ballistic missiles.

The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that there was no indication of damage to the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, and no abnormal radiation levels were detected. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urged “maximum military restraint”, particularly around nuclear installations.

The Israeli Health Ministry said a total of 4,564 people have been hospitalised since the start of the conflict, with 124 currently under treatment.

Meanwhile, Iran claimed that the United States and Israel had targeted its Natanz facility earlier in the day, though it reported no radioactive leakage. An Israeli official denied involvement, and the Israeli military has not issued a detailed statement.

Separately, Israel said it struck a research facility at Tehran’s Malek Ashtar University, alleging it was involved in developing nuclear weapons components and ballistic missile systems.

Analysts say the ongoing exchange reflects an “eye-for-an-eye” strategy aimed at deterrence, raising concerns of further escalation in an already volatile region.