State Of Emergency Declared As Iranian Missile Hits Arad In Southern Israel

Israeli authorities have slapped a state of emergency on the southern city of Arad following a direct Iranian missile strike that rocked the area late Saturday night.

Rescue teams are still scrambling at the scene, treating dozens of wounded residents. Israeli media and emergency services put the number of injured in Arad alone at over 70, with some in serious condition from shrapnel and collapsing structures.

NaijaChoice News reports that the missile slammed into residential zones, damaging at least 10 apartment buildings, three of which are now at risk of total collapse. Similar chaos unfolded nearby in Dimona, home to Israel’s main nuclear research centre, where another projectile slipped past air defences and left more people hurt.

The strikes came as part of Iran’s retaliation for earlier attacks on its Natanz nuclear site, which Tehran blames on Israel and the United States. Israeli air defence systems failed to intercept at least two of the incoming ballistic missiles, prompting an urgent probe by the military.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the night as “very difficult” and ordered extra emergency crews to the south. Hospitals in Beersheba are already handling over 170 casualties from both cities, with medics working round the clock.

This fresh escalation in the Middle East conflict is sending ripples far beyond the region. Crude oil prices have already spiked sharply since the wider US-Israel operations against Iran began, pushing pump prices higher across Nigeria.

Energy experts warn that any prolonged fighting could worsen Nigeria’s fuel crisis and hit the naira even harder. Nigerians watching the drama unfold are bracing for more turbulence at the filling stations.

Rescue operations in Arad continue as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.