Israel says Iran used missile with multiple warheads, hits Arak nuclear reactor in escalating conflict

Israel’s military now believes Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in its latest attack, marking a new threat to Israel’s missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome.

An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously under regulations, said tracking such missiles is significantly harder, as each warhead behaves differently in flight.This comes after Iranian missiles struck southern Israel on Thursday, damaging Beersheba’s Soroka Medical Center and residential areas near Tel Aviv. Over 240 people were wounded, four seriously, with the majority suffering minor injuries.

The hospital has suspended all non-emergency services following the strike.In a rare and direct threat, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant blamed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying, “This man absolutely should not continue to exist.” US officials claimed President Donald Trump recently vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei, though Trump later remarked there were no current plans to do so.

In retaliation, Israeli jets struck Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, a key facility in the country’s nuclear program. Israel’s military said it targeted the reactor’s core seal to prevent future plutonium production. Iranian state media denied any radiation risk and confirmed the facility was evacuated.Israel also claimed to have hit another nuclear-related site near Natanz, continuing a week-long offensive that began with airstrikes on Iranian military, scientific, and enrichment targets.

Iran has fired more than 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in response, killing at least 24 Israelis.Despite most incoming fire being intercepted, Thursday’s missile attack prompted mass evacuations and emergency responses across Israeli hospitals. “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared.Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister plans to meet EU leaders in Geneva, even as the country vows not to halt its nuclear program. President Trump has hinted at broader involvement but warned of “something much bigger than a ceasefire.”