Title: Explosions Hit Three Buses in Suspected Terrorist Incident Near Tel Aviv, According to Police
Article Text:
Three buses exploded on the outskirts of southern Tel Aviv, in what authorities are treating as a suspected terrorist attack, Israeli police announced. The incident occurred in the city of Bat Yam on Thursday evening, involving buses that were unoccupied at the time, resulting in no injuries.
Police discovered devices on two additional buses that did not detonate. Reports from local media suggest one device included a note indicating "revenge" for a recent Israeli operation in a West Bank refugee camp.
In retaliation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the Israeli military to escalate operations targeting terrorist strongholds in the West Bank.
Social media footage depicted at least one of the buses engulfed in flames, sending a thick column of smoke into the sky.
Following the incident, police spokesperson Aryeh Doron called for heightened public vigilance against any suspicious items, noting on Channel 12 TV, "We might be fortunate if the timers were incorrectly set by the terrorists, although it's premature to conclude."
Police commander Haim Sargarof, in a separate media update, mentioned that the explosive devices resembled those previously uncovered in the West Bank amidst ongoing Israeli raids on militant activities.
Local reports identified one of the unexploded devices, weighing 5kg (11lbs), which bore a message stating "Revenge from Tulkarm," referring to a fresh Israeli assault on a northern West Bank refugee camp.
Following the blasts, the Palestinian militant group Tulkarm Brigade issued a statement, as noted by Haaretz, proclaiming "Revenge for the martyrs will not be forgotten as long as the occupier remains on our land," though the group did not claim responsibility for the attack.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been actively engaging Palestinian militant factions in the West Bank, with a focus on the Tulkarm and Jenin areas, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians amid intensified military actions.