Kamal Ghorui
Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to open Strait of Hormuz — Follow live updatesDimona, home to Israel’s nuclear research facility, has long been nicknamed “Little India” due to its strong Indian-Jewish community, many of whom trace their roots to Maharashtra, as per a report by PTI. The town’s streets are lined with Indian shops, Marathi is widely spoken, and cultural ties with India remain deeply embedded. Hours later, a second missile struck the nearby city of Arad, compounding the damage. Across both cities, more than 100 people were injured, including children, with several in serious condition. Israeli authorities said air defence systems attempted to intercept the missiles but failed, resulting in direct hits that caused widespread destruction.The Israeli military has launched an investigation into the interception failure, saying the incident “will be investigated”. Officials confirmed that interceptors were deployed but did not successfully neutralise the incoming threats.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as a “very difficult evening”, saying he had spoken to Arad’s mayor and ordered full government support for those affected. “We are determined to continue to strike our enemies on all fronts,” he said, while urging civilians to follow safety instructions.Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilians, calling the strikes “a blatant war crime” and “pure terrorism”. Opposition leaders, including former prime ministers, also expressed solidarity with residents, describing the attacks as a “great disaster”.Iran, however, said the strike on Dimona was a response to an earlier attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, although Israel denied involvement in that incident. The UN’s nuclear watchdog confirmed it had no indication of damage to Israel’s nuclear site but called for “maximum military restraint” to avoid further escalation.
