Israel’s Transport Ministry head Miri Regev has ordered a nationwide halt to public transport after three buses exploded near Tel Aviv and two more were found with unexploded explosive devices.
“All buses, trains and light rail must be stopped, checked and measures taken in accordance with the instructions of Shabak (Israel’s security service) and the police,” Regev said.
She noted that she assessed the situation by telephone with the director general of the Transport Ministry, the head of the Public Transport Authority and other parties.
No casualties were reported, and responsibility for the explosions, which occurred when explosive devices mounted on empty vehicles detonated in quick succession in the cities of Bat Yam and Holon, was not immediately claimed. An unexploded device was found on a fourth bus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office called the bombings “an attempt to carry out a chain of mass bus bombings.”
After meeting with the defence minister, the head of the Israel Defence Forces and top security and police officials, Netanyahu ordered the IDF to conduct an intensive operation against centres of terrorism in the West Bank, CNN reported, citing a statement.
“The prime minister also ordered the Israel Police and (Israel Security Agency) to intensify preventive activities against new attacks in Israeli cities,” the statement added.
The bus bombings came just hours after the Palestinian militant group Hamas returned four bodies, presumably of hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attack.
