Three buses have exploded near Tel Aviv in what Israeli police called a terror incident, as they search for suspects.
Two of the blasts were in Bat Yam, south of the city, and a third was reported in the nearby town of Holon, a police spokesperson said on Thursday.
Officers said they also found at least one unexploded device in Holon. They added: “Several suspicious objects were also examined by police bomb disposal units, but suspicion was ruled out in those cases.”
Police earlier said that “no injuries have been reported at this stage,” and that the Shin Bet internal security agency was taking over the investigation.
Multiple explosions involving buses have been reported in Bat Yam and Holon in Israel. Pic: AP
The explosions happened on the same day that the bodies of four Israeli hostages in Gaza were returned by Hamas as part of a ceasefire deal.
In response to the bus blasts, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz instructed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to intensify operations in the West Bank as the military blocked entry points to certain areas.
Timer bombs
Speaking to local broadcaster Channel 12, an Israeli police official said the bombs used were with a timer and were non-standard explosives.
They added that investigators believe the bombs looked similar to those made in the West Bank, but it was not confirmed where they were made.
A group identifying itself as a branch of Qassam Brigades – Hamas’s military wing – from the northern West Bank city Tulkarem later said on Telegram: “We will never forget to take vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation is on our lands.”
An Israeli police officer inspects a bus after a series of explosions. Pic: AP
It comes as Mr Katz said he told the IDF to “intensify counter-terrorism operations in the Tulkarem refugee camp and throughout refugee camps in the West Bank”.
The defence minister added: “We will pursue the terrorists relentlessly and destroy the terror infrastructure in the camps, which serve as a forward base for the Iranian axis of evil.
“Residents who provide shelter and protection to terrorists will pay a heavy price.”
The IDF also said in a statement that its “intensified counter-terrorism operations in Judea and Samaria continue” and will focus on “intelligence findings”.
Israel has repeatedly carried out military raids on suspected Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank since Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack sparked the war in Gaza.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that he was being updated by his military secretary on the situation, and would soon hold a security assessment.
Tzvika Brot, mayor of Bat Yam, also called it a miracle that no one was hurt, and said the buses had finished their routes and were in a car park.
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on 19 January, the IDF has been conducting a broad military offensive in the West Bank.
Recent raids have targeted Tulkarem and two refugee camps in the city.