According to Israeli military assessments, the Syrian anti-aircraft missile that exploded in the pre-dawn hours of April 22 near the southern town of Dimona was not targeting Israel’s nearby nuclear reactor. However, the Israel Defense Forces are concerned about the failure of sophisticated anti-missile defenses to intercept the Syrian missile on its 300-kilometer (190-mile) trajectory to such a strategically sensitive area. The Israeli air force is investigating the failed intercept, which raises troubling questions regarding Israel’s defenses in the event of a widespread escalation along its northern front.

Israel has thus far displayed marked self-confidence regarding the effectiveness of its multi-tiered missile interception systems in defending the civilian population and military and civilian infrastructure. The Dimona reactor, which foreign media describe as spearheading Israel’s nuclear capacity, could be considered Israel’s most vital strategic target.

The explosion of a projectile fired from Syria in the skies above the Dimona area prompted immediate suspicion of an Iranian-inspired retaliation against a series of attacks attributed to Israel on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, specifically the April 11 sabotage at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. The concern proved unfounded.

The incident occurred in the wake of a nighttime air strike on targets in the region of the Syrian Golan Heights that Syria attributed, as always, to the IAF. Syrian air defenses launched several Russian-made SA-5 missiles at the attacking aircraft. One of them missed but continued on its southward flight path, exploding in the sky and scattering pieces near Israel’s most protected facility.