Tel Aviv: Three empty buses exploded in quick succession on Thursday night in parking lots in the Tel Aviv suburbs of Bat Yam and Holon, in what police suspect was a terror attack.
No injuries were reported, and police neutralised two additional unexploded devices found on nearby buses in Holon, according to Hebrew media reports. Each device contained approximately five kilograms of explosives, Times of Israel reported.
Authorities launched an extensive search for suspects, with bomb disposal teams scouring the area for further threats.
OM G-D This is where my Papa is 🙁
Two public buses exploded near Tel Aviv this evening. There was no one on the buses at the time, but authorities are treating this as a failed terrorist attack. pic.twitter.com/KZ8p00hDXV
— Adi 🎗 (@Adi13) February 20, 2025
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was continuously briefed on the situation and held a late-night security assessment. Following the meeting, his office announced that he had ordered the IDF to carry out a large-scale operation in the West Bank targeting terrorist strongholds. He also directed police and the Shin Bet to step up preventative measures in Israeli cities to avert further attacks.
Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Miri Regev instructed the Transportation Authority to suspend public transport services and conduct thorough inspections of all buses, trains, and light rail vehicles. Regev, who was in Morocco at the time, was reportedly cutting her visit short in response to the incident.
