Twenty people were injured after Iran launched missiles at Dimona, in southern Israel. According to a report by Al Jazeera, footage released by Israeli media captured the moment a missile struck the city, with the sound of a loud explosion audible in the video.
Israeli media outlets report that the 20 injured individuals include a 10-year-old child.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have shot down an Israeli F-16, stating it was the third such aircraft successfully targeted during the conflict.
The Israeli military refuted this, claiming no aircraft were damaged. While the Israeli military acknowledged that a fighter jet encountered anti-aircraft fire in Iranian airspace, it maintained the aircraft was unharmed and completed its mission as intended.
Earlier this month, the IRGC claimed it struck and “seriously damaged” an F-35 Lightning II over central Iran, amid escalating regional tensions.
In a statement, the IRGC said its air defence systems targeted the aircraft at around 2:50am local time on Thursday, adding that the jet was hit and its condition remains under investigation. It noted there was a “high possibility” the aircraft may have crashed.
The IRGC also claimed the operation followed the interception of more than 125 US-Israeli drones, describing the incident as evidence of improved capabilities in Iran’s integrated air defence systems.
However, the United States military presented a different account, stating that a US F-35 aircraft had carried out a combat mission over Iran but later made an emergency landing.
According to US officials, the pilot is in stable condition, with no confirmation of a crash.