According to reports, the buses were empty during the explosions. Police confirmed no casualties have been reported so far.
Three buses exploded in Bat Yam, a city south of Tel Aviv. Israeli police suspect a terrorist attack, reports BBC.
Explosive devices were found in two other buses but failed to detonate.
Israeli police deployed a large force to the scene. Authorities are actively searching for suspects.
Transport Minister Miri Regev ordered all buses and trains to halt for safety inspections, Israeli media reported.
Social media footage shows a bus engulfed in flames in a parking lot, with thick smoke rising above the scene.
Authorities urge the public to avoid affected areas and report suspicious objects.
Local media say an unexploded five-kilogram device carried a note reading, “Revenge from Tulkarem.” It references a recent Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
Following the Bat Yam incidents, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered intensified military action in West Bank refugee camps.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives constant updates on the situation.
Since Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has ramped up military operations against Palestinian militants in the West Bank.
Tulkarem and its refugee camps have been primary targets of recent Israeli military offensives.
A Telegram group, claiming ties to Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, wrote, “We will never forget to avenge our martyrs while our land remains occupied.”
Since the January 19 ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, Israel has launched a large-scale military offensive in the West Bank.
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