Three explosive devices detonated within a short time span on Thursday evening, and two additional devices were found before they could explode, on empty buses parked in the cities of Bat Yam and Holon in central Israel. No injuries were reported.
Bus drivers across Israel have been instructed to halt their routes and inspect their vehicles for suspicious objects.
Police have officially classified the incident as a terrorist attack, and the Shin Bet has launched a manhunt for those responsible for planting the explosives. One of the recovered devices, weighing five kilograms, had an inscription reading: "Revenge from the Tulkarm Refugee Camp."
Video: Footage of the burning bus in Bat Yam // Haim Gozali
The Shin Bet estimates that the attackers intended for the explosive devices to detonate at 9:00 a.m. but mistakenly set them for the evening.
Officials also suspect that the devices were designed with Iranian expertise and manufactured in laboratories in Tulkarm, in northern Samaria.
In response to the explosions, security checks at entry and exit points to and from the Judea and Samaria have been intensified.
The explosions occurred simultaneously in two buses parked at different locations, followed shortly by another explosion. Firefighters arriving at one of the scenes found a bus completely engulfed in flames but confirmed there were no casualties or people trapped inside.
Tel Aviv District police spokesperson Arie Doron stated: "Police forces are on-site, and bomb disposal units are inspecting the area. The police commissioner will conduct a situational assessment. Public vigilance is crucial for ensuring safety."
