On the 23rd day of the Israel‑US war on Iran, Tehran launched a wave of ballistic missiles deep into southern Israel. Cities including Arad and Dimona in the Negev Desert were hit. Dozens of Israelis were wounded in Arad alone in what officials called an unprecedented impact on the city. Residential buildings were damaged and at least 88 people were injured. In Dimona, nearby the country’s central nuclear research complex, at least 27 people were hurt.
Iranian forces said they were targeting “military installations and security centers” in the region. The strikes came after intense Israeli and US attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including the Natanz nuclear site, which Tehran cited as justification for the retaliation.
Israeli authorities confirmed that at least two ballistic missiles penetrated air defenses and struck within populated areas, causing significant damage. The failure of intercept systems to stop those missiles has raised questions about the spread of strategic assets in and around cities like Arad.
Hidden Military Infrastructure Near Arad
While Israeli media have shown footage of wounded Israelis in Arad, vital military infrastructure lies beneath the surface of these areas. Arad and the wider Negev Desert host a cluster of Israeli military bases, air assets, radar facilities, and training sites; some only a short distance from residential neighborhoods.
Nevatim Airbase
One of Israel’s largest air force hubs lies about 30–40 km from Arad and 13-14 km from Dimona.
This base houses F‑35 stealth fighter jets, transport aircraft, tankers, reconnaissance planes, and surveillance units, making it a core strategic asset for Israel’s long‑range operations.
Nevatim was among the intended targets of Iranian missile barrages in earlier waves of the conflict, suggesting Tehran’s intent to hit Israeli airpower where it is most concentrated.
Dimona Radar Facility
East of Arad, just outside Dimona, is the Dimona Radar Facility; a high‑powered installation with the world’s tallest radar towers. It is designed to detect and track ballistic missiles across the Middle East and feed early warning data into air defense systems.
This facility operates alongside the classified Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, widely believed to be the heart of Israel’s nuclear weapons infrastructure.
Training Bases: Nahal Tov & Tel Arad Camp
Within the Arad area itself, there are major Israeli military training sites, including the Nahal Tov Military Base and the Tel Arad Training Camp near archaeological Tel Arad. These serve as key infantry and combat training locations for the Israeli Forces. Their proximity to town has exposed nearby residents when military systems are targeted.
Many of the missiles Iran fired do have military sites on their intended path. But the location of military infrastructure near residential areas turns towns like Arad into unintended battlefields when ballistic missiles are launched.
Israeli defenses are meant to intercept such threats, but in this strike wave at least two missiles broke through, hitting between housing blocks, sparking fires and structural failure in civilian buildings.
