More than 100 wounded in Iranian strikes on Israel, Trump threatens to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants

Israeli firefighters said a “direct hit” by an Iranian missile on the southern Israeli town of Arad caused extensive damage, with medics reporting around 30 people wounded.

Israeli media showed badly damaged buildings in Arad, about 15 miles northeast of Dimona, a town struck hours earlier. Both towns are located near Israel’s main nuclear research center. 

Lt. Col. Nadav Shosh, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, said that, in total, more than 70 people were injured in the two strikes.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that the Iranian regime is resorting to reckless attacks that only further expose its instability and disregard for human life while strategically targeting civilians,” Shosh said in a social media post. 

“In both Dimona and Arad, interceptors were launched that failed to hit the threats, resulting in two direct hits by ballistic missiles with warheads weighing hundreds of kilograms,” firefighters said.

The local fire service said there was “extensive damage” from the Arad strike, with three buildings affected and a blaze sparked in one of them.

Magen David Adom first responders said they were taking 33 wounded people to hospital from the Arad strike, including four with serious injuries, 12 with moderate injuries, and 17 with minor injuries.

“This is a very severe scene,” emergency medical technician Yakir Talkar said in a statement, adding there were “many wounded with varying degrees of injury.”

The casualties in Arad came after an Iranian missile strike on Dimona left at least 30 people wounded.

Iranian state TV said the missile attack on Dimona in the Negev desert was a “response” to an earlier strike on its own nuclear site at Natanz.

CBS/AFP