Hamas Targeting Dimona Nuclear Reactor & Oil Sites Among Other Sensitive Infrastructure 

Hamas’ militant wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced earlier this week that it is deliberately targeting Israel’s secretive Dimona nuclear reactor site, known as the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, which lies east of the the Gaza Strip far into the Negev Desert.

It was on Wednesday that Qassam Brigade spokesmen said they were “directing a rocket strike involving 15 rockets for Dimona” – and since then it appears rockets have fallen generally in the southerly area – but there’s since been no reports of direct hits anywhere on the complex, or damage to the site.

Inbound rocket warning sirens have regularly blared in various places of Israel’s Negev region since the fighting began at the start of the week. 

According to Newsweek, Hamas has had some degree of success when it comes to targeting strategic and sensitive Israeli infrastructure and locations alongside Israeli cities and residential areas.

“On Tuesday, at least one rocket appeared to score a direct hit, damaging an Ashkelon facility connected to the Trans-Israel pipeline running from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea,” Newsweek observed, and continued:

“The military wing of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas has targeted Israel’s nuclear facility, key oil facilities and other sites across the country amid a violent escalation between the two sides.”

No doubt that the Hamas’ ability to hit Israel reached a level unknown until now, and this strike on an oil reserve tank in Ashkelon alongside its pipeline illustrates this as well. pic.twitter.com/2VWeNxniD1

— Louis Fishman لوي فيشمان לואי פישמן (@Istanbultelaviv) May 11, 2021

Last week an Iranian propaganda clip threatened just such a scenario…

Israeli Nuclear Facility Destroyed by a Missile Attack in an Iranian Animated Video Posted on an IRGC Telegram Account on the Occasion of “Jerusalem Day” #Iran #JCPOA #QudsDay #dimona pic.twitter.com/vqeUMDAiNW

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) May 9, 2021

Days into sustained Israeli airstrikes and constant rocket fire from Gaza, Hamas is believed to have fired 2,000 or more total rockets, many which are clearly making it past the Iron Dome defense system.

As of Thursday night, Israel began using ground troops for offensive operations in the border area with Gaza.

This @AFP photo of the#Israel – #Gaza conflict is wild:
Left #IronDome interceptors and right the rockets fired from Gaza. It’s an iconic photo on many levels and will for sure end up in history bookspic.twitter.com/vxO21RWiyZ

— Gregor Peter (@L0gg0l) May 14, 2021

At least 120 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 30 children, and close to 1,000 wounded since Monday, while six Israeli civilians, including two children, have died from the Hamas attacks.