An emergency message was broadcast Sunday, 29 March, in southern Israel after a fire broke out in the industrial area of Neot Hovav, in the Negev, following the fall of an Iranian missile fragment. The Israeli authorities have asked the locals to stay in closed spaces, to shut down the air conditioning and to close the windows, for fear of a risk related to possible hazardous substances.
According to the initial information provided by the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection, fire has been declared in this sensitive industrial area, known as chemical and hazardous waste treatment facilities. The competent authorities indicated that they were verifying the possibility of a leak of dangerous products, while stating that at this stage no risk was expected for neighbouring localities under the Ramat Negev Regional Council.
At the same time, the police closed Highway 40 in the area and the local authorities called on the motorists to avoid the area. One minor injured was reported, according to Israeli media reports, being hit by a shock wave.
An alert in a highly sensitive industrial area
The incident took place in Ne-ot Hovav, an industrial hub located south of Beer-Sheva and regularly presented as one of the country’s most sensitive chemical and hazardous waste sites. According to the authorities, the start of fire caused by a fragment of missile immediately triggered a reinforced precautionary system because of the very nature of the installations on site.
The command of the internal front then issued immediate instructions to the inhabitants of the surrounding area. The message called for staying inside, closing the openings and shutting down the ventilation systems. This type of guidance aims to limit potential exposure to toxic fumes or dispersion of chemicals into the air, even when the risk is not yet confirmed.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection stressed that the audits were under way. At this stage, no dangerous leaks had been confirmed, but the authorities chose to maintain a precautionary posture due to the war context and the nature of the site affected.
A new episode in the war between Israel and Iran
The fire comes as the conflict between Israel and Iran continues at high intensity. In recent days, a number of missile rounds have targeted various Israeli areas, causing material damage, injuries and increased internal front alerts. The day before, several people were slightly injured after a missile impact in the Eshtaol area near Jerusalem.
In this context, industrial and energy infrastructures have become major vigilance points. The fear no longer concerns only the direct impact of the projectiles, but also the secondary consequences of a shot or fragment falling into a high-risk area, such as a refinery, repository or chemical facility. This danger is precisely illustrated by the episode of Ne的ot Hovav.
The maintenance of security restrictions in much of the country, confirmed until Monday evening by the command of the internal front, reflects this concern. School activities remain limited in several areas, and gatherings remain supervised.
