A car explosion shook Tel Aviv on Thursday, leaving several people injured and sparking fears of renewed violence in Israel’s largest city. Emergency services said the blast took place on La Guardia Street, where paramedics treated victims at the scene. Authorities have not confirmed the source of the explosion, local media reported.
The incident comes months after a series of coordinated bus bombings rattled the country in February. In those attacks, two bombs exploded within minutes, while a third detonated about fifteen minutes later. At that time, Israeli responders also discovered additional explosives on two other buses that had not gone off.
Police later determined that all five bombs were identical, equipped with timers, and concluded they were part of a coordinated effort. Tel Aviv district police chief Haim Sargarof said the devices were “improved explosives with hallmarks of coming from the West Bank,” according to The Times of Israel. Following the February bombings, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered stepped up military raids across the West Bank.
The latest explosion in Tel Aviv raises questions about whether militants are once again testing Israel’s security defenses.
The blast also coincides with a volatile regional backdrop: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly through a pre-recorded video. He is expected to press for stronger international action.
Meanwhile, Spain has announced it will send a warship to protect a Gaza aid flotilla attempting to break the Israeli blockade of the territory.
With tensions escalating on multiple fronts, the explosion in Tel Aviv adds to fears that Israel may be entering a new phase of violence, now on the receiving end.
