By TEL AVIV, Israel — The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Monday claimed responsibility for a bomb blast near a synagogue in Tel Aviv that Israeli police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency have labeled a terrorist attack.
The explosion late Sunday killed the man carrying the bomb and injured a passerby, according to police at the scene in Israel’s commercial capital.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said the man was carrying a backpack loaded with explosives that detonated “before he managed to reach a more heavily populated area.”
In a joint statement, Hamas and Islamic Jihad said their “martyrdom operations” inside Israel would continue as long as the “occupation’s massacres and assassination policy” persist. This statement appears to reference Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza and the July 31 killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for Haniyeh’s death in the Iranian capital.
The bombing occurred about an hour after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, where fighting has raged for 10 months.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen crossed the border into Israeli communities, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s subsequent military campaign has resulted in widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and at least 40,000 deaths, according to the enclave’s health authorities.
The Tel Aviv attack has heightened concerns about potential escalation across the wider region. Iran has threatened retaliation against Israel following Haniyeh’s assassination.
Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, with police and intelligence agencies on high alert for potential follow-up attacks.
The bomb blast underscores the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, even as international efforts to broker a ceasefire intensify.
As of Monday afternoon, no further attacks have been reported, but security measures in Tel Aviv and other major Israeli cities have been heightened in response to the bombing.
The incident may complicate diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza conflict, as Israeli officials cite security concerns in negotiations for a potential ceasefire agreement.
