Iranian BM salvo hits Eshtaol and Negev — intercept fails at Eshtaol (11 hurt), open area hit in Negev

An Iranian ballistic missile struck the Jerusalem-area town of Eshtaol on Day 29, penetrating IDF air defense systems and causing the most significant missile impact inside Israel of the day. The IAF confirmed that intercept attempts were made but air defenses failed to neutralize the missile. The IAF has opened an investigation into the intercept failure. The missile carried a conventional warhead — not a cluster bomb as initially assessed — and impacted in a residential area of Eshtaol near Beit Shemesh. At least 11 people were lightly injured, and rescue services reported extensive damage to several buildings and a parking lot within approximately a 150-meter radius. The Eshtaol hit is the first confirmed successful Iranian missile penetration of Israeli air defenses on Day 29, and the largest single Day 29 impact event. It also represents a rare acknowledged IAF intercept failure — the IDF typically intercepts Iranian ballistic missiles at high rates, but saturation attacks and potentially decoy salvo configurations can occasionally penetrate. The IAF investigation will focus on why the missile evaded interception, including whether deception/maneuvering warhead features contributed to the failure.