A projectile launched from Iran struck the Neot Hovav (large industrial zone in Israel's Negev desert) industrial zone, south of Beersheba, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Magen David Adom paramedics treated one person in light condition for blast-wave injuries. No additional casualties were reported at this stage. Emergency crews continued sweeping the area.
Fire and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene following initial reports and are operating there. Neot Hovav is one of the largest industrial zones in the Negev, spanning approximately 80,000 dunams and employing some 11,000 workers.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection said the strike has raised suspicion of a hazardous materials incident. Minister Idit Silman directed the ministry's director-general, district teams, and emergency coordinators to act swiftly. They were en route to the site and were accompanying the operations of security and rescue forces.
In a subsequent security update, authorities said there was no immediate threat to communities within the regional council. Israeli police, however, began closing Route 40 from the Negev Junction northward and from the Ohalim Junction southward. Residents outside the council area were advised to remain in Beersheba until the situation became clearer.
As a precautionary measure and given the nature of the incident, workers at the facility and at neighboring plants were asked to evacuate exposed areas and shelter inside protected structures until operational decontamination was complete.
