Explosion in Several Buses Near Tel Aviv; Police Suspect Terrorism

Israeli media reported explosions in three empty buses at various stops in central Israel. These explosions occurred on Thursday evening, February 2, in the cities of Bat Yam and Holon, both in the Tel Aviv district, and no injuries have been reported. According to Israeli police, two other explosive devices were also discovered in the Holon buses, and the search for suspects is ongoing. Moments after the explosions in two parked buses at a bus station in Bat Yam, a female passenger on another moving bus in Tel Aviv alerted the driver about a suspicious package, and shortly after the bus stopped and all passengers exited, that package exploded as well. Another suspicious package was found in a fourth empty bus, which reportedly had an Arabic note on it, according to Yedioth Ahronoth. Israeli media stated that police and internal security agencies have reviewed surveillance footage from businesses along all routes taken by the four buses to identify those responsible for planting the explosive devices. According to Channel Kan, five-kilogram explosive packages were apparently placed in each bus to detonate early Friday morning when people and students were heading to work and school. Israeli police indicated that the planting of the homemade bombs was likely the work of forces linked to militants in the West Bank, and the bombs had entered central Israel from that area. Israel Katz, the country's defense minister, also held Palestinian militants in the West Bank responsible for these attacks and ordered the army to increase its operations there. Israeli police reported finding a note on one of the bombs stating 'Revenge for the Tulkarm camp,' referring to last week's Israeli operations in the West Bank. A Telegram channel linked to activists of the military wing of the extremist Hamas group in Tulkarm in the West Bank implicitly suggested that this action was retaliation for recent Palestinian casualties resulting from Israeli military and security operations in the West Bank. However, no group has officially claimed responsibility for the bombings in the buses. Following the explosions, the Israeli transportation minister ordered a temporary halt to bus and train operations across the country and inspections to ensure there were no explosive materials on them. An hour after the explosions, the Israeli Prime Minister's office announced that Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered the army to launch extensive operations against 'terrorist centers' in the West Bank. According to this announcement, Mr. Netanyahu also requested that Israeli police increase preventive measures to neutralize potential future attacks. This announcement followed a meeting between the Prime Minister and senior military and security officials, after which the Israeli army announced that three additional battalions would be dispatched to the West Bank. Israeli police stated that many of their forces are present at the scene, and bomb disposal units are searching the area for suspicious objects. Israeli media quoted an unnamed security source reporting that the bombings were intended for the busy morning hours on Friday, but were likely mistakenly set for 9 PM instead of 9 AM; however, Israeli officials have not commented on this matter.