A potentially devastating terror attack was narrowly averted on Thursday in central Israel when a number of explosive devices planted on buses failed to detonate as intended — an investigation is underway.
The attack happened when Israel was grieving — Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages from Gaza on Thursday.
At approximately 9:00 p.m. local time, three empty buses exploded in the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam, while two additional bombs were discovered and safely defused in nearby Holon. No injuries were reported, a fact authorities are calling a "miracle."
Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency suspect the bombings were a coordinated terror attempt, with Hamas claiming responsibility shortly after the incidents.
Initial investigations suggest the devices were equipped with timers set to detonate during peak morning hours on Friday, likely aiming to maximize fatalities.
However, a malfunction or miscalculation in the timing mechanism caused the explosions to occur prematurely while the buses were unoccupied in their depots.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is receiving updates from the military.
“We need to determine if a single suspect placed explosives on a number of buses, or if there were multiple suspects,” police spokesperson Haim Sargrof told Israeli TV, reported The Guardian.
A sixth explosive device was discovered at the Yamit 2000 children's water park in Holon, south Tel Aviv. A suspect may have been arrested in Bat Yam, Israel.
Historically, Israel has resumed military operations in Gaza following terror attacks outside the enclave when linked to Palestinian groups, especially Hamas.
