Syrian Missile Lands Near Israel’s Dimona Nuclear Reactor

A long-range Syrian surface-to-air missile landed in southern Israel, some 185 miles from Damascus. The missile that exploded early on Thursday morning triggered warning sirens near Israel’s nuclear reactor in Dimona, located about 20 miles from the site where the missile landed in Israel’s Negev Desert.

An Israeli missile defense system was deployed to intercept the missile, though it is not clear whether it was successful. There were no reported injuries or damage in Israel.

In response, the Israel Defense Forces attacked the battery that launched the missile and other surface-to-air missile batteries in Syrian territory.

Syria’s state-run SANA news agency reported that the attack targeted the Damascus area and that the country’s air defense system intercepted “most” of the Israeli rockets. Some damage was reported.

IDF spokesman Brigadier General Hidai Zilberman said in a statement that the military does not believe that the missile was purposely targeting the nuclear reactor at Dimona, but rather that it had been fired at an Israeli plane from an earlier attack on Syrian territory and overflew its target.