March 22, 2026

Iran Launches Attack on Israel’s Top Secret Nuclear Facility in Negev Desert | BBC News

Mar 21, 2026 | Iranian missiles have struck an Israeli town housing the country’s top secret nuclear facility, believed to be the site of its nuclear weapons arsenal. The Shimon Perez Negev Nuclear Research Centre contains a nuclear reactor and is close to the town of Dimona in the Negev desert in southern Israel.

Around 100 people are reported to have been injured in Dimona, when the missiles hit residential buildings. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths. Injuries and deaths were also reported in the southern Israeli city of Arad. Iran said the strike on Dimona was in retaliation for an Israeli attack earlier in the day on its nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran's nuclear agency said the site had come under attack but there had been no leakage of radioactivity.

Iran’s state news agency said: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again sent a clear message: No area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”

The United Arab Emirates also reported many people injured there in the latest missile attacks by Iran. The UAE’s defence ministry said it had intercepted hundreds of missiles. Israel and the US have continued their airstrikes on Iran’s capital Tehran, while US Central Command said it had degraded Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement calling for an “immediate end” to Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. They also said they were prepared to take measures to protect global energy supplies.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Esyllt Carr and Damian Grammaticas.