In a city in the center of Israel, several buses exploded on Thursday evening, according to police reports. The incident in Bat Yam is being investigated as a possible “terror attack” the police stated. According to the mayor of the city, located south of Tel Aviv, there were no casualties.
Media reports indicate that the buses were empty at the time of the explosions. The police announced that they are searching for suspects and have ordered the inspection of all buses, trains and trams. This directive was given by Transport Minister Miri Regev during an emergency meeting.
In response to the explosions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a massive military operation in the West Bank. According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu instructed the military to “launch intense operations against terrorist centers” in the region, following security consultations.
The Israeli police have accused the Shin Bet and the military of failing to prevent the smuggling of explosives from the West Bank.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, a statement published on the social media of the Qassam Brigades, a Palestinian militant group, from the city of Tulkarm in the northern West Bank, read: “The revenge of the martyrs will not be forgotten as long as the occupier is present in our land.”
Some social media users and Palestinian analysts, however, suspect that the incident might be a false-flag operation to justify the escalation of the blockade that has been affecting the occupied West Bank for over 30 days.