Jerusalem, Feb 21: Israeli police said that bombs on three buses exploded in the central city of Bat Yam on Thursday evening, with a local official saying there were no injuries.Defence Minister Israel Katz accused “Palestinian terrorist organisations” of carrying out the blasts, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to hold a security meeting.
Preliminary report – Suspected terror attack. Multiple reports have been received of explosions involving several buses at different locations in Bat Yam,” the police said in a statement.
Three devices exploded on buses while two were being defused, a police spokesman told AFP.
A large number of police were deployed to search for suspects, the police statement said.
Police bomb disposal units are scanning for additional suspicious objects. We urge the public to avoid the areas and remain alert for any suspicious items,” it added.
Tzvika Brot, the mayor of Bat Yam, said in a video statement that there were “no injured in these incidents”.
Television footage aired by some Israeli networks showed a completely burnt-out bus and another that was on fire.
Israeli media said that bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their vehicles for additional explosive devices.
A police commander from central Israel, Haim Sargarof said in a televised breifing that the devices used to set off the blasts were similar to those found in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Following the blasts, Netanyahu was set to hold a security meeting, his office said.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been receiving ongoing updates from his military secretary on the IED (improvised-explosive-device) incidents in the Dan (central) area and will soon hold a security assessment,” the office said in a statement.
An official in the prime minister’s office said Netanyahu “views the placing of explosives on buses as a very serious incident and will order decisive action against terror elements in the West Bank”.