At least 47 people were injured on Saturday evening after an Iranian missile struck the southern Israeli town of Dimona, known for the dome-shaped structure atop its nuclear facility and often referred to as "Little India", rescue services said.

Among the injured was a 12-year-old boy who is in serious condition after being hit by shrapnel, said officials from the Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service and local residents.

A woman in her 30s sustained moderate injuries from glass shards, while 31 others suffered minor injuries from shrapnel or were hurt while rushing to shelters, they said. Another 14 people were treated for acute anxiety at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.

"The missile hit a community building, and nearby older houses collapsed due to the impact. Most people were in shelters and escaped serious harm, except for the young boy who remained outside," a local resident said.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it is investigating the failure to intercept the Iranian ballistic missile. According to the military, air defence systems engaged the missile, but the interceptors failed to neutralise it.

The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), called for "maximum military restraint" following the attack. "The IAEA is aware of reports of a missile impact in Dimona, Israel, and has no indication of damage to the Negev nuclear research centre," it said in a post on X.

Iran said it targeted Dimona in response to an earlier strike on the Natanz nuclear enrichment site. The IDF, however, denied responsibility for any strike on Natanz earlier in the day. Dimona has a large Indian-Jewish population, many of whom trace their roots to Maharashtra and maintain strong ties with India, earning the town the nickname "Little India".

Indian shops are spread across the town, and Marathi is widely spoken. The Indian-origin community, numbering around 7,500, makes up nearly 30 per cent of the population. Cricket is popular, and younger residents are familiar with Indian snacks such as sonpapdi, gulab jamun, papri chaat and bhelpuri, which are sold in several local stores.
(With PTI inputs)