Israel says Syrian missile not aimed at nuclear reactor - AP

London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) — The Israeli military said that a Syrian missile which landed near an Israeli nuclear site early Thursday was the result of a misfire and not a deliberate attack on the top-secret reactor, according to a report from the Associated Press quoting Israeli officials.

The missile landed in southern Israel just a few kilometers from the Dimona reactor site, prompting Israel to respond with airstrikes on the missile launcher and other targets in Syria.

The army's chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, was quoted as telling military correspondents that the Israeli air force was already operating in Syrian airspace when the anti-aircraft missile was fired. He said the projectile, identified as a Russian-made SA-5 missile, missed its target and flew some 300 kilometers (200 miles) before exploding in southern Israel.

"There was no intention of hitting the nuclear reactor in Dimona," Zilberman was quoted as saying.

An Israeli missile-defense system tried but failed to intercept the incoming missile. Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the incident was under investigation, said the Associated Press.