Deadly explosion rocks Tel Aviv (VIDEOS)

Israeli police are investigating whether the incident was “terrorism-related”

Israeli police are investigating an explosion in Tel Aviv that killed one man and injured another, local media reported on Sunday. Authorities suspect the victim may have been killed by his own bomb in a botched suicide bombing.

The blast occurred in the city center around 8 PM, causing significant damage to a nearby truck. Central District Commander Perez Amer told reporters that “dozens of calls were received by the emergency center, reporting a loud explosion and body parts scattered on Lehi Street.”

When police and paramedics arrived, they noticed a “mutilated body and signs of an explosion on the wall,” Amer added. The man, later identified as Gideon Peri, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another man, who was passing through the area on a scooter, sustained moderate injuries from shrapnel and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Authorities believe the explosive device was carried by the deceased victim himself. Initially, police had “difficulty identifying the body” but determined “it's not an innocent civilian, but rather the person who was carrying the explosive device.”

רגע הפיצוץ בתל אביב מספר מטרים בודדים מזירת הפיגוע
עולה חשד כי המחבל היה בדרך לבלומפילד למשחק סכנין-תל אביב היה אמור להגיע לקיבוץ גלויות שם עוברים אלפי אוהדים בדרכם הביתה. נמנע כאן ככל כנראה פיגוע המוני. pic.twitter.com/s42af3kgAZ

— daniel amram - דניאל עמרם (@danielamram3) August 18, 2024

“Whether this is criminal or terrorism-related, it's too early to say,” Amer continued, noting that identifying the nature of the incident is critical. Israel’s security agency, Shin Bet, is participating in the investigation.

🚨🇮🇱This was the moment a bomb exploded in Tel Aviv tonight. It appears to have been a failed attack, with the bomb detonating prematurely, resulting in the death of the attacker.pic.twitter.com/X2NRB3X8oz https://t.co/7A07Bbfcs5

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 18, 2024

Unconfirmed CCTV footage surfaced online that appears to show the moments of the explosion, while another video captured a man carrying a backpack. Some reports suggest that the bomb may have detonated prematurely, killing the would-be attacker.