Southern Israeli towns woke to extensive damage on Sunday, March 22, after air defenses failed to intercept two Iranian missiles overnight, injuring scores of civilians in one of the most severe attacks on Israeli territory since the war began, as reported by Reuters.
As daylight broke, the extent of destruction became clearer in the desert town of Arad, where one missile struck a multi-story apartment building. Entire floors were blown open, and debris was scattered across the area. Uri Shacham, chief of staff of Israel’s ambulance service, said at least eight buildings were damaged, and the impact left a large crater near residential blocks.
Video verified by Reuters showed flames consuming the top floor of an apartment building shortly after the strike. Search and rescue teams combed through damaged structures, moving floor by floor in search of survivors.
Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said both தாக்கs were carried out using conventional ballistic missiles. He declined to comment on preliminary findings regarding why the air defense system failed to intercept them.
Standing at the impact site in Arad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the outcome as miraculous. “It is a miracle that no one was killed,” he said, pointing to the destruction and urging residents not to become complacent, stressing that seeking shelter promptly could have prevented injuries.
In Arad alone, 31 people — including 18 children — were hospitalized, with at least nine reported in serious condition, according to medical officials. Dozens more sustained minor injuries.
Israel accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilian population centers. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, however, said the strikes were aimed at military and security-related sites, describing them as retaliation for earlier Israeli attacks on Iranian positions.
