The early evening alert was dropped after 16 minutes including in the town of Dimona where residents were advised "that it is now permitted to leave protected spaces", according to a military statement.

Israel has maintained a policy of ambiguity about its nuclear programme, and the Dimona plant officially focuses on research and energy provision.

The warning came hours after a previous salvo from Iran targeting coastal hub of Tel Aviv and the north.

The Israeli military said it had intercepted "most" of those projectiles.

There were no reports of strikes in Israel. Israeli media is subject to strict restrictions from the military censor.

Israel's sophisticated air defence systems have been largely successful in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.

The Israeli army has warned of six separate waves of Iranian missiles since midnight Monday-Tuesday.