Explosive Devices Damage 3 Buses in Israel

An Israeli police officer inspects the scene of one of a series of bus explosions in what authorities said appeared to be a militant attack, in Bat Yam, Israel, on Feb. 20, 2025. Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

Three buses were damaged by explosions in the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam on Thursday, but nobody was hurt.

The mayor of Bat Yam, Tzvika Brot, said it was a miracle there were no deaths or injuries when the devices exploded on the buses, which had been parked after finishing their journeys.

In a Facebook post, Brot said he had ordered an investigation by the security forces and that “a high alert in the city will continue throughout the weekend.”

The explosions happened hours after Hamas returned the remains of four deceased hostages from Gaza as part of the cease-fire deal, although the Israeli military later confirmed DNA tests showed that the body that Hamas said was that of Shiri Bibas was not hers.

Police spokesman Asi Aharoni told Channel 13 TV that two other bombs were found on other buses but were dismantled before they could detonate. He said the five bombs were identical and equipped with timers.

Another police spokesman, Haim Sargrof, told Israeli TV, “We need to determine if a single suspect placed explosives on a number of buses, or if there were multiple suspects.”

Sargrof said the bomb materials matched explosives used in the West Bank.

The Israeli military said on Friday that it had imposed further restrictions on Palestinian movement and sealed off parts of the West Bank, in reaction to the bombings.

It is not clear whether the bombs detonated prematurely or were designed to go off when the buses were parked.

On Thursday night, Alex Gandler, a deputy spokesman at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, wrote on X, “3 buses exploded, another 2 were meant to explode but bombs were dismantled on time.”

‘Deprived of Morality’

“Palestinian terror continues to try and target civilians. Deprived of morality and human dignity,” he added.

The head of the bus company, Ofir Karni, said he had asked all bus drivers to stop so a “thorough inspection” could be conducted and that they only resumed their routes after all vehicles were declared safe.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had received updates from his military secretary about the events at Bat Yam.

The police said the Shin Bet internal security agency had taken over the investigation into the bombings.

For Israelis, the bus explosions brought back memories of Palestinian attacks, including suicide bombings, which took place regularly in the 2000s.

The construction of a 400-mile security wall between Israel proper and the West Bank has been largely credited with reducing the terrorist threat.

Israel has restricted entry into Israel for Palestinians living in the West Bank, and Israel’s military has carried out numerous raids on suspected Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank since Hamas launched its attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 Israelis.

A group identifying itself as the Tulkarem branch of Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, posted on the messaging app Telegram, “We will never forget to take vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation is on our lands.”

But the message did not claim responsibility for the bus bombings.

The Palestinian town of Tulkarem and two nearby refugee camps have been a focus of Israel’s military operations in the West Bank since the cease-fire in Gaza took effect on Jan. 19.

In Nov. 2022, a bomb exploded on a bus outside Jerusalem, killing a 16-year-old Israeli Canadian boy, Aryeh Schupak, and injuring 18 others.

In April 2016, a suicide bomber blew up a bus in Jerusalem, injuring 16 people.

In February 1996, two Palestinian suicide bombers killed 45 people on two buses on the Jaffa Road in Jerusalem, and in March 1978, Palestinian gunmen hijacked a bus on Israel’s coastal road, murdering 38 people, including 13 children.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.