At least 64 injured in southern Israel by Iranian missile

At least 64 people were injured on Saturday night in the southern Israeli city of Arad by a missile fired from Iran, Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) said in a statement.

According to the MDA, seven people were seriously injured, 15 moderately injured and the rest lightly injured.

It added that searches continue at the scene to find more injured people.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported that it was a direct missile hit at a residential building, causing many casualties and extensive destruction.

It added that emergency services have declared a "mass casualty incident," and army and MDA helicopters were rushed to the scene.

According to the channel, the Israeli air force has launched an investigation to examine why the missile was not intercepted by the air defense system.

Earlier in the evening, a missile fired from Iran injured 47 people in the southern city of Dimona, including a 10-year-old boy in serious condition, according to the MDA.

The developments came amid heightened tensions following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began February 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and US interests across the Middle East.