Massive explosion in Tel Aviv kills suspected bomber, injures passerby in apparent failed terror attack

A powerful explosion shook southern Tel Aviv on Sunday night, killing a 50-year-old man, who Israeli authorities now suspect was likely a terrorist. A 33-year-old man riding an electric scooter nearby was injured and transported to Sourasky Medical Center.

Police initially suspected a criminal incident, as there have recently been recurring attacks between warring criminal organizations in Israel. However, after further examination, the police now suspect it was an attempted terror attack. 

While the identity of the 50-year-old man is still uncertain, authorities said that how he was conducting himself before the explosion supports the assessment of a terror attack. 

Update: Late Monday morning, the Hamas terror organization posted a message to its Telegram channel formally taking responsibility for the attack. The group said that "the Al-Qassam Brigades, in conjunction with the Al-Aqsa Brigades [of Palestinian Islamic Jihad], announced the implementation of the martyrdom operation that took place yesterday evening, Sunday, in the city of 'Tel Aviv.'"

Hamas said it will return to using suicide bombings inside the "occupied territories" for "as long as the occupation's massacres, the displacement of civilians, and the continuation of the policy of assassinations continues."

Video footage released on Sunday evening shows the terrorist walking with a large backpack that contained the Improved Explosive Device (IED) suspected of causing the explosion. Authorities believe a malfunction caused the device to explode early, killing the terrorist before he could plant the device in a crowded area. 

Tel Aviv District Police Commander Peretz Amar said there were multiple reports of a loud explosion in southern Tel Aviv at the time of the incident.

"Dozens of calls were received by the emergency center, reporting a loud explosion and body parts scattered on Lehi Street,” Amar told reporters.

While Israel Police have not confirmed the identity of the terrorist, Amar noted that he was "not an innocent civilian, but rather the person who was carrying the explosive device.” 

Police were initially unsure of the nature of the attack, and Amar said the identity of the man carrying the IED was a significant clue. 

“The identity of the person is critical to determining whether this is a criminal or terror incident,” Amar said.

The explosion reportedly heavily disfigured the man's body, making his identification difficult.

Magen David Adom paramedic Nitzan Faraj said: "We were called to the scene due to citizens who heard a loud explosion. When we arrived, we saw the truck on fire, and next to it, a man about 50 years old was lying unconscious with severe multi-system injuries. After medical tests, he was without a pulse, and all we had to do was pronounce him dead on the spot.” 

N12 news reported early on Monday morning that police have now determined that the explosion is likely a botched terror attack. They noted that the target may have been a nearby synagogue where about 50 people were gathered for evening prayers, a nearby shopping center or the Bloomfield Stadium.

According to N12, the suspect was believed to have brought the IED from Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

Maariv reported that another potential scenario being investigated is a Hezbollah attack. The group has previously smuggled IEDs into Israel on at least two occasions, including the Megiddo attack in March 2023. Hezbollah has vowed to avenge Israel's elimination of its senior leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut last month.