Three buses have exploded in Tel Aviv’s Bat Yam area, and the police are investigating it as “a suspected terror attack” on Thursday, The Times of Israel reported. No injuries were reported as the buses were parked nearby.
The explosion occurred while Israel was grieving the return of the four dead bodies of hostages from Gaza.
Police spokesperson Aryeh Doron said that officials are still trying to locate more bombs in Tel Aviv. “Our forces are still scouring the area,” Doron told Channel 12.
“We may be lucky if, indeed, the terrorists set these timers to the wrong hour. But it’s too early to determine,” he said.
Devices in two other buses failed to explode, they said, adding that “large police forces are at the scenes, searching for suspects.”
The authorities said that heavy police forces were at the scene, and an investigation into any suspects had begun.
Transport Minister Miri Regev ordered the suspension of all bus, train, and light rail services in the country, and checks for explosive devices were carried out, Israeli media reported.
Another bomb was also found on a separate bus, the police spokesperson said.
‘Revenge from Tulkarem’
The police spokesperson emphasised the connection of the attack with Palestinian groups and said that the explosive devices resembled bombs that Israeli police have seen in the West Bank.
According to local media reports, one of the explosives had a message saying, “Revenge from Tulkarem,” referring to a recent Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
After the incident, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to “increase the intensity” of activity in refugee camps in the West Bank.