Or Yehuda Grenade Attack: Suspect Arrested Months After Incident
Police arrested a 33-year-old Jaffa resident linked to a May grenade attack at an Or Yehuda restaurant that injured five people. Prosecutors plan to indict him soon as part of an ongoing crackdown on central Israel gang violence.
It lasted mere seconds. A suspect arrived on an electric scooter at a restaurant in the Neve Rabin neighborhood of Or Yehuda, approached the business, and hurled a fragmentation grenade toward it. At the time, the restaurant was operating with civilians inside. Moments later, the grenade detonated, injuring five people to varying degrees, while the suspect fled the scene.
The incident took place on May 26. Police emergency hotline 100 received reports of a massive explosion in the neighborhood, and police forces were rushed to the scene. The preliminary investigation revealed that the grenade was thrown at a business that was open at the time.
Investigation and Arrests
The investigation was assigned to the Central Unit of the Tel Aviv District. As the probe progressed, additional suspects were arrested, and indictments were subsequently filed against several defendants for involvement in violent incidents and the use of weaponry, including the grenade attack on the Or Yehuda business.
However, another suspect—a 33-year-old resident of Jaffa who police say was a gang member involved in the affair—managed to evade capture. He remained on the run for several months until a breakthrough occurred last Friday leading to his arrest. This week, a prosecutor's statement was filed against him, and police are preparing to submit a formal indictment in the coming days.
Broader Criminal Trend
The incident in Or Yehuda adds to a string of criminal events involving the use of weaponry against businesses in the central region. In July, a series of attacks targeted branches of the Japanika restaurant chain in Kiryat Ono, Ramat Gan, and Givataim, involving grenade throws, a pipe bomb, and an attempted arson. Simultaneously, a grenade exploded in the lobby of a residential building in Or Yehuda. Police examined potential links between the incidents, though no direct connection to the current case was established.
Past criminal incidents have also struck the city. In January 2021, a stun grenade was thrown into the courtyard of Or Yehuda Mayor Liat Shochat's home. No injuries or damage were reported in that incident, which Shochat condemned at the time as a severe escalation, stating that "a red line has been crossed."
