In a significant escalation of Middle Eastern hostilities, Iran has launched a targeted missile strike against the Dimona nuclear facility in southern Israel. The retaliatory operation, confirmed by Iranian international affairs expert Morteza Simiari in a state television broadcast, comes in direct response to an Israeli attack on Iran’s Natanz atomic facility less than 24 hours earlier.
Simiari articulated Iran’s newly adopted ‘eye for an eye’ military doctrine, emphasizing that Tehran will deliver reciprocal responses with heightened intensity to any Israeli military actions. According to initial reports from Israeli medical authorities, the assault resulted in more than 30 casualties, though the precise nature of injuries remains unclear.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has subsequently reported no detectable damage to Israel’s Negev nuclear research center following the attack. In an official statement released via social media platforms, the nuclear watchdog agency confirmed that regional monitoring stations had detected no abnormal radiation levels following the incident.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has issued urgent appeals for maximum military restraint, particularly in the vicinity of nuclear installations across the region. This exchange of attacks represents the latest chapter in an escalating conflict that began on February 28, when joint Israeli-American operations struck multiple Iranian cities, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei alongside military personnel and civilians. Iran responded with coordinated missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli positions and American assets throughout the Middle East, setting the stage for the current dangerous escalation.