Wave of Criminal Violence Hits Central Israel with Grenades and Gunfire

A wave of criminal violence has hit central Israel, with police reporting multiple violent incidents overnight in Ness Ziona, Rishon LeZion, Holon, and Tel Aviv, including explosive devices and gunfire targeting residential buildings.

Night Incidents in Ness Ziona and Rishon LeZion

Overnight on Sunday, a fragmentation grenade was thrown at a private home on HaShunit Street in Ness Ziona. Police stated the incident is suspected to stem from a criminal dispute. The explosion caused property damage, but no injuries were reported. Officers from the Rehovot police station arrived at the scene and launched an investigation.

Shortly thereafter, police received reports of gunfire directed at a residential building on Shaar Yafo Street in nearby Rishon LeZion. The shooting damaged the building's lobby, though no casualties were reported. Law enforcement authorities are examining whether a direct connection exists between the two overnight incidents.

Broader Wave of Criminal Activity

These events follow a series of similar criminal attacks across the country in recent days, including grenade explosions in Tel Aviv, Holon, and Kiryat Gat, where gas cylinders were damaged during an attack on a residential home.

"Police investigators have begun collecting evidence from the scenes in an attempt to track down those involved and determine whether these incidents are linked to the same criminal conflict," law enforcement officials stated.

Authorities also pointed to a recent high-profile indictment filed by the Tel Aviv District Prosecutor's Office against two young men from Bat Yam, aged 22 and 18, for throwing a grenade at a branch of the Japenika restaurant chain in Kiryat Ono.