At least 64 people were injured, seven seriously, when Iranian missiles struck the southern Israeli cities of Arad and Dimona on Saturday, March 21, 2026. The attacks, which targeted areas near Israel’s nuclear research facility, mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, which began on February 28. The strikes prompted mass casualty evacuations and a full emergency response.
The second missile impact occurred in Arad, approximately 15 minutes after an explosion in Dimona left 39 people injured. According to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency rescue agency (MDA), the Arad strike injured at least 64 people, including a 4-year-classic girl among the seven in serious condition, 15 with moderate injuries, and 42 with minor injuries. “The teams of the MDA continue the search for more victims” among the rubble of buildings affected by the missile, the agency said in a statement.
A paramedic on the scene described a chaotic scene, stating, “The scene was terrible. We saw widespread destruction in several buildings, with a dense column of black smoke rising from multiple points, and chaos reigned.” Another paramedic volunteer group detailed that some of the injured were unconscious, and reported a girl in moderate condition and two children with minor injuries.
Interceptors Failed to Destroy Missiles
Approximately 17 rescue teams are continuing to search for people trapped in Arad after a building collapsed, whereas another building caught fire. Firefighters confirmed the impact occurred in the city center, affecting three buildings and igniting flames on the fourth floor of one structure.
Dozens of ambulances and mobile intensive care units, as well as helicopters from Magen David Adom and the Israeli Air Force, were deployed to the area. The MDA reported that 115 people were injured and evacuated to Soroka Medical Center following the impact in Arad, including nine in serious condition. Thirty-one patients were admitted for continued treatment, including 18 children. In Dimona, at least 60 people were wounded and taken to Soroka, including a 12-year-old boy in serious condition who underwent surgery overnight, as well as a man in his 20s in moderate condition. Five patients were admitted for ongoing hospitalization.
Sources within the Israeli military told EFE that both the Dimona and Arad impacts were direct hits, and that the interceptors from the air defense system activated during the attacks failed to destroy the missiles before they reached the ground. The strikes came hours after Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility was hit in an airstrike, for which Israel’s military has denied responsibility. Iranian state media claimed the strikes targeted areas near Israel’s nuclear research facility outside Dimona as retaliation for the alleged attack on Natanz.
The attacks underscore the escalating tensions in the region and raise concerns about the potential for further conflict. Nearly 200 people were injured in total across both cities, according to reports.
