Chicago – March 21, 2026
Iran has fired missiles near Israel’s secretive Dimona nuclear facility, intensifying fears of a direct nuclear-related confrontation in the region. Tehran says the strike was retaliation after its Natanz uranium enrichment complex was hit earlier the same day.
According to Iranian state media, missiles targeted the southern town of Dimona, home to the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, wounding dozens and triggering air raid sirens across the Negev desert. Iranian officials framed the attack as a “response” to what they called U.S.-Israeli “criminal assaults” on Natanz, a key hub in Iran’s nuclear programme, while insisting there was no radioactive leakage reported at the site.
Israel has not publicly detailed damage around Dimona but has vowed to continue operations aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it is monitoring the situation and urged all parties to avoid targeting nuclear facilities amid rising escalation risks.
