Explosive Devices Cause Destruction to 3 Buses in Israel
A police spokesman reported that two other buses were discovered with explosive devices equipped with timers, but they were disarmed before they could go off.
Explosions damaged three buses in the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam on Thursday, with no casualties reported.
Mayor Tzvika Brot of Bat Yam called it a miracle that no one was harmed when the devices exploded on the parked buses after completing their routes.
According to police spokesman Asi Aharoni speaking to Channel 13 TV, two additional bombs were located on other buses but were disabled before detonating. He mentioned that all five bombs were identical and had timers.
Another police spokesman, Haim Sargrof, stated on Israeli TV, “We need to determine if a single suspect planted explosives on multiple buses or if there were multiple suspects involved.”
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Sargrof also mentioned that the bomb materials matched explosives used in the West Bank.
The Israeli military announced imposing further restrictions on Palestinian movement and sealing parts of the West Bank in response to the bombings.
It remains uncertain whether the bombs detonated prematurely or were meant to explode while the buses were parked.
‘Deprived of Morality’
He added, “Palestinian terror continues to try and target civilians. Deprived of morality and human dignity.”
The head of the bus company, Ofir Karni, instructed all bus drivers to halt for a thorough inspection before resuming their routes once all vehicles were confirmed safe.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received updates from his military secretary regarding the Bat Yam incidents.
The police mentioned that the Shin Bet internal security agency would lead the investigation into the bombings.
For Israelis, the bus explosions stirred memories of past Palestinian attacks, including suicide bombings that were common in the 2000s.
The construction of a 400-mile security wall between Israel and the West Bank has helped in reducing the terrorist threat.
Israel has limited entry for Palestinians from the West Bank and conducted numerous raids on suspected Palestinian terrorists since Hamas began attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis.
A group claiming to be the Tulkarem branch of Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, posted on the Telegram app, “We will never forget to seek vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation exists on our land,” without directly claiming responsibility for the bus bombings.
The Palestinian town of Tulkarem and neighboring refugee camps have been under intense scrutiny by Israel’s military since the Gaza cease-fire took effect on Jan. 19.
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