On Thursday night Israel's Transportation Authority halted all public transport including the operation of all buses, trains, and light rails, following an attempted terror attack in the Tel Aviv suburbs of Bat Yam and Holon.
Three empty buses exploded had exploded in quick succession in parking lots in these areas, and police believe the detonations were actually intended to happen in the morning, when the buses are usually packed.
No injuries have been reported, but police said at least two other unexploded devices were discovered on nearby parked buses. A search for suspects and evidence as to who is behind the attacks is underway.
Tel Aviv District police chief Haim Sargarof was cited in local media as saying the bomb plot "looks like something [that originated] in the West Bank."
Further details presented in Israeli media said:
According to a Channel 12 news report, the devices were slated to explode on Friday, when the buses were in use, but were somehow set off early. The network also reported that one of the undetonated devices was found due to an alert of a passenger who notified the driver of a suspicious bag.
In a statement, the Bat Yam Municipality said that “miraculously, the buses arrived at the parking lots a moment before the explosion,” and were already empty of their passengers.
Had the plot not been thwarted (by the apparent early explosions), this means potentially up to five buses could have been detonated with people on them, which would could have been one of the worst terror attacks in Tel Aviv history.
Israel's Defense Ministry has in the wake of the bomb plot said it is ramping up operations in the West Bank, to crack down on Palestinian militants.
"In light of the severe terror attack attempts [in the Tel Aviv area] by Palestinian terror organizations against the civilian population in Israel, I instructed the IDF to increase the intensity of the counterterrorism activity in the Tulkram refugee camp, and all the refugee camps in Judea and Samaria," Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 20, 2025
3 buses just exploded in a town near Tel Aviv.
The buses were empty. It seems like the bombs exploded prematurely. pic.twitter.com/CFYIkJoVWw
Some Palestinian sources are accusing Israel of being behind a 'false flag' operation in order to justify a greater security presence and crackdown in the West Bank.
Since the Oct.7 terror attacks by Hamas, there's been internecine street fighting in some West Bank towns and camps, with hundreds of Palestinians killed, and dozens of Israelis dead and injured as a result.
