Israel’s nuclear weapons narrowly escaped destruction during the October 7 rocket attack by Gaza-based Hamas, said a report published by The New York Times.
The report discloses that rockets fired from Gaza hit an important Israeli military base, housing what experts believe are the country's nuclear-capable missiles, triggering a fire that posed a potential threat to crucial installations. However, swift actions prevented the flames from reaching sensitive areas, ensuring the safety of Israel's nuclear-capable missiles.
The attack on the military base, known as Sdot Micha, occurred during the October 7 assault, where rockets fired by Gaza militants targeted Israeli territories. While the rockets did not directly impact the nuclear-capable missiles, they ignited a fire that prompted concerns over the safety of strategic weaponry.
While Israel has never publicly acknowledged its nuclear arsenal, experts estimate that 25 to 50 nuclear-capable Jericho missile launchers are stationed at the Sdot Micha base. The Jericho missiles, as revealed by declassified US government documents, are designed to carry nuclear warheads.
The attack’s extent suggests that the October 7th assaults might have been more extensive than initially reported, underscoring the vulnerability of Israel’s closely guarded strategic weapons to rocket attacks.
The assault on the Sdot Micha area involved multiple rockets over several hours, and it remains unclear how many were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome air defense system. The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on The Times’s findings.
Earlier, Israel’s Iron Dome defence system had reportedly malfunctioned, with an interceptor rocket landing in the central area of the city of Rishon LeZion, south of Tel Aviv.
Israel's Iron Dome is an air missile defense system designed to shield the country from short-range rocket threats. Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, it became operational in 2011.
