A rocket, believed to be fired by Hamas militants, struck an Israeli military base during an attack on October 7th, according to a visual analysis by The New York Times. The rocket caused a fire near missile storage facilities and other sensitive weaponry, although the missiles themselves were not hit. The base, called Sdot Micha, is said to house many of Israel’s nuclear-capable missiles, although the country has never officially acknowledged the existence of its nuclear arsenal. Hans Kristensen, director of the Federation of American Scientists’ Nuclear Information Project, estimated that there are likely 25 to 50 nuclear-capable Jericho missile launchers at the base.
The attack on Sdot Micha is the first known instance of Palestinian militants hitting a site suspected of containing Israeli nuclear weapons. The extent of the October 7th attacks appears to be greater than previously known, demonstrating that rockets can penetrate Israel’s closely guarded strategic weapons. It remains unclear if the militants were aware of the specific nature of the target, or if they simply targeted the base as a military facility. The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the findings.
Following the attack, Israel has taken measures to strengthen the defense of Sdot Micha against future rocket attacks. Satellite images show the construction of berms and barriers around military positions near the impact location. The fire caused by the rocket was identified using NASA satellite imagery, and further evidence of the attack can be found in publicly available satellite images, rocket alarm records, and social media posts.
The rocket struck within the base, located northeast of Gaza and west of Jerusalem, sparking a fire in the surrounding vegetation. While it is uncertain if other rockets hit the base, satellite images suggest that the fire near the Jericho missiles was the only one on the base. Efforts were made by Israeli firefighters to contain the fire, including the creation of roads and firebreaks.
Decker Eveleth, a researcher at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, analyzed the satellite images and observed that firefighting vehicles created paths to prevent the fire from reaching the missile launchers. The attack on Sdot Micha is considered rare, as there have been only a few known strikes on bases with nuclear weapons in the past. Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups usually target Israeli towns and cities near Gaza, and they rarely fire rockets at military bases.
Although the fire at Sdot Micha did not damage the weaponry and equipment, there were risks associated with a fire of this magnitude occurring near fuel and munition depots. The underground storage facilities for the missiles were built to withstand damage, but there were concerns about potential complications.