At least 47 people suffered injuries on Saturday after Iran struck a ballistic missile in a residential area of the southern Israeli town of Dimona, also known as "Little India". The attack succeeded after the Israeli defence force failed to intercept the projectiles. Iranian media said that the attack was a retaliation for a previous bombing at the nuclear site Natanz.
Iran, in response, attacked the Israeli nuclear research center Negev. People suffered critical injuries, getting shrapnel wounds, resulting from running around to shelters during the attack.
Why Is Dimona Referred To As Little India?
The Israeli region, Dimona, has a significant number of Indian-Jewish people, belonging to the Bene Israel community, most of whom are from Maharashtra. The people share cordial relations with India. The people here speak Marathi, play cricket, and eat bhelpuri and gulab jamun, signifying the Indian culture. Nearly 7,500 people from the Bene community live in the Negev desert area, and it accounts for about 30 per cent of the area's population. Over the years, Dimona has remained at the heart of international scrutiny and regional tensions.
IAEA Says No Significant Damage Is Reported
Responding to the attacks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) claimed it did not receive any indication of damage to the nuclear research centre Negev in Israel. Sharing a post on X, the IAEA said, "The IAEA is aware of reports of an incident in the city of Dimona, Israel, involving a missile impact and has not received any indication of damage to the nuclear research centre Negev. Information from regional States indicates that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected. " Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, called for maximum military restraint. "Closely monitoring the situation, Director General Rafael Grossi stressed that 'maximum military restraint should be observed, in particular in the vicinity of nuclear facilities."
The Conflict Continues
Iran has fired repeated barrages of missiles at Israel frequently in retaliation for the US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that it would continue hitting Iran and its allies after what he called a “very difficult evening.” The Israeli military said it would inquire about the failed interception. "The air defence systems operated but did not intercept the missile; we will investigate the incident and learn from it," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin wrote on X.
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Additionally, US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that it fully reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. In a hard-hitting statement, Trump warned that failure to comply would force US strikes again on Iran’s power infrastructure, signaling a potential widening of the war with major global energy and security implications.