- Law enforcement officials declare incident in Tel Aviv as an attempted explosion
In a devastating blast in Tel Aviv, authorities suggest they foiled a terrorist act. Last Sunday evening, a sack filled with an explosive substance went off as a guy was strolling down a street in the south part of the beachside metropolis. The alleged assailant met their end, while an e-scooter rider sustained injuries.
"We can now confirm this was a terrorist incident involving a potent explosive device," as stated in a joint announcement from the police and Shin Bet security agency. The security forces in and around Greater Tel Aviv have since been put on alert at a higher level.
"We encourage the public to stay alert and report any suspicious individuals or items to the police." The police refrained from disclosing the suspect's identity. The public broadcaster Kan reported that authorities believe the suspect was a Palestinian hailing from Nablus in the West Bank. The 'Haaretz' newspaper reported that police suspect the synagogue nearby was the intended target of the attack.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog mentioned at a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that it seemed a significant terrorist attack had been averted in Tel Aviv the previous night. Historically, the city on the eastern Mediterranean has experienced multiple major attacks by Palestinians.
A police spokesperson informed Israeli military radio that had the explosion taken place merely a few meters further, "we would've been confronted with a major catastrophe." Initially, the details of the incident were murky in the evening, with police stating they were reviewing all possibilities.
"The investigation into the terrorist incident by the Commission has revealed that the explosive device was designed to cause significant damage.""The Commission has also concluded that the alleged terrorist acted alone and had no known affiliations with any extremist groups."
