Shin Bet arrests two Israeli Jews who drove terrorists to Bat Yam ahead of bus bombings

The two are also charged with attempted murder.

 Bus explosion aftermath, Bat Yam (photo credit: Via section 27a of copyright act)
Bus explosion aftermath, Bat Yam
(photo credit: Via section 27a of copyright act)

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) arrested two Jewish-Israeli suspects and are investigating their potential involvement in transporting the terrorists that planted bombs on buses in the Bat Yam area of central Israel on Thursday evening, Israeli media reported on Friday. 

The two are also charged with attempted murder.

Shin Bet also added that it is continuing the search for additional suspects who planted explosive devices last night in three buses parked at different locations in Bat Yam and another bus in Holon, KAN added.

"At this stage, there are no conclusive findings," Shin Bet added. 

Meanwhile, a security source told Walla that the events in Bat Yam and Holon are "very serious" and that a special operations squad has been established to track down the perpetrators of the bombing and rule out additional terrorist attacks.

 Police in Bat Yam following multiple reports of bus explosions in parking lots, February 20, 2025. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
Police in Bat Yam following multiple reports of bus explosions in parking lots, February 20, 2025. (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)

The initial assessment from the security establishment is that the plan for the attack came from Iran, and was carried out by Hamas terrorists from the West Bank. Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) identified Iranian involvement in the West Bank by supplying weapons, training terrorists to carry out attacks, and assembling explosive devices, according to Maariv.

Bat Yam Mayor Zvika Brut told Maariv that he intends to increase security in the city, particularly around schools and other education establishments, but it is unlikely that terrorists remain in the area.