A missile assault launched by Iran has left more than 100 individuals injured, among them a young girl aged five, after targeting Southern Israeli cities and narrowly missing a nuclear facility.

The Iranian attack today hit the Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad in retaliation for an earlier strike by the United States and Israel on Iran’s Natanz nuclear installation. This marked a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.

Dimona is notable for housing the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, a site believed to be integral to Israel’s nuclear capabilities, despite the nation’s ambiguity about possessing such weapons.

The offensive on Arad resulted in injuries to at least 88 people, including a young girl, and caused significant damage to infrastructure. Among the injured, ten individuals are reported to be in critical condition.

In Dimona, 59 people suffered injuries, with a 10-year-old boy among those seriously hurt, highlighting the severe impact of the strike.

Tomer Segev, a medic with United Hatzallah, described the aftermath as extremely challenging, stating, “When I arrived, I treated about 40 casualties.”

The strikes caused widespread fears that Iran had launched a new kind of missile that is capable of penetrating Israel’s extensive air defenses, but an IDF spokesman said that this is not the case.

“The air defense systems operated but did not intercept the missile. We will investigate the incident and learn from it. This is not a special or unfamiliar type of munition,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a post on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed his prayers for those injured, and said that the Jewish state is determined to continue striking its enemies.

“I spoke with the Mayor of Arad, Yair Maayan, and asked him to convey, on behalf of all Israeli citizens, our prayers for the peace of the injured… We are determined to continue to strike our enemies on all fronts,” The Israeli PM said in a statement.

Israeli Security Minister Ben Gvir was on site to tour the damage after the attack, and told the media that Israel’s war against Iran was a war they must keep fighting “to win.”

Israel’s Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced that all in-person learning would be canceled in Israeli schools following the strikes.

Schools had finally begun to reopen in areas deemed to be low risk after they were closed for two weeks after the war with Iran commenced.

Iranian-proxy group Hezbollah wounded at least 19 people on strikes on civilian centers in Israel’s north earlier in the day.

A kindergarten in the central Israeli city Rishon Lezion was damaged by an Iranian cluster missile early Saturday.