Iran Missile Debris Strikes Chemical Factory in Israel

A missile launched from Iran struck an industrial zone in southern Israel on Sunday, igniting a fire at a chemical factory and raising initial concerns about hazardous materials, though authorities later confirmed no risk to the public.

The impact occurred around 3:30 p.m. in the Neot Hovav industrial complex, located about 13 kilometers north of Beersheba in the Negev desert. Officials from Israel's military and fire services attributed the strike to debris from an intercepted Iranian missile, rather than a direct hit. The affected facility belonged to ADAMA, a pesticides manufacturer and subsidiary of the Syngenta Group. Video footage from the scene showed thick black smoke billowing from the site, with a large building reduced to a charred shell. Firefighters deployed 34 crews to contain the blaze, which they brought under control within hours, conducting cooling operations to prevent reignition.

No fatalities were reported, and injuries remained limited. Magen David Adom paramedics treated one person for light blastwave injuries, while Soroka Hospital in Beersheba reported six individuals with minor wounds from the incident. As a precaution, authorities declared a hazardous...