Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to intensify its raids across the occupied West Bank after explosions in three empty buses near Tel Aviv in what authorities are calling a suspected “terror attack”.
No casualties have been reported from the blasts that come as Netanyahu has accused the Palestinian group Hamas of breaching the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Here’s what we know about the incident so far:
What happened in Israel and when?
Starting about 8:30pm (18:30GMT) on Thursday night, three explosive devices began detonating inside three buses in southern Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.
The first two bombs went off within minutes of each other, and the third exploded about 15 minutes later. All of the buses were empty.
After searching the area, Israeli responders found more explosives on two other buses that did not detonate. All five bombs were identical and equipped with timers, police say.
Where in Israel did the bus explosions take place?
The buses exploded in several parking lots in Israel’s central cities of Bat Yam and Holon, each about 10km (6 miles) south of Tel Aviv.
Was anyone hurt?
No casualties have been reported, as the buses were parked and empty after finishing their routes.
According to police, the explosives were likely intended to go off on Friday morning when people were on their way to work.
Bat Yam’s mayor, Tzvika Brot, said it was a miracle no one was hurt.
Who carried out the attack?
It’s still unclear. Israeli police say they are investigating a “suspected terror attack”, but no group has claimed responsibility.
The Tulkarem Battalion, a fighting group based in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem, posted on Telegram: “We will never forget to take vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation is on our lands.”
However, the group did not appear to claim responsibility for the explosions.
What do we know about the investigation?
The Tel Aviv district police chief, Haim Sargarof, described the bombs used in the attack as improved explosives that have the hallmarks of coming from the West Bank, according to The Times of Israel. Authorities are still looking into whether a single suspect or multiple ones planted the bombs, he added, though no proof has been provided yet of who might have been behind the blasts.
The investigation has now passed on to Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency.
How have Israeli authorities responded?
They put Israeli cities on high alert and instructed the Public Transit Authority to stop and check all buses, trains and light rail trains.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz also ordered an escalation in the Israeli military’s already violent raids in the occupied West Bank, where police suspect the perpetrators may be from. He specifically singled out the Tulkarem refugee camp, a stronghold of Palestinian resistance that has faced some of the most destructive Israeli raids since October 7, 2023.
“We will pursue the terrorists to the end and destroy the terrorist infrastructure in the camps that form the front line of the Iranian axis of evil,” said Katz. “The people who sponsor and shelter terrorism will pay a heavy price.”
Al Jazeera’s correspondent Nour Odeh said Palestinians in the West Bank are living in further fear following the “announcements of stepped-up Israeli military action”.
“The occupied West Bank, especially in the north in Tulkarem and Jenin, has been going through an unprecedented military assault, resulting in the forced mass displacement of more than 40,000,” Odeh said.
