The bomb explosion in Tel Aviv last night was a terrorist attack, the Israeli police and Shin Bet internal intelligence said today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
According to the police, the explosion happened near a synagogue, and the man who carried the bomb was killed. One passerby was injured.
"It can now be confirmed that this was a terrorist attack," police and the "Shin Bet" said in a joint statement today.
Responsibility for the act was claimed by the armed wings of the Palestinian groups "Hamas" and "Islamic Jihad", threatening new attacks in Israel, reported "France Press".
The brigades "Izzedin al-Qassam" (the armed wing of "Hamas" waging war against Israel in Gaza) and the "Al Quds" brigades. (their counterpart in “Islamic Jihad”) announced in a statement that suicide bombings in Israel will be back on the agenda as long as the "occupier's massacres, forced civilian transfer operations and killing policies" continue.
Yesterday's explosion came about an hour after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv to press for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the ten-month war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas.
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The drive to reach a ceasefire agreement has grown amid fears the conflict could escalate into a regional war. After the assassination of the leader of "Hamas" Ismail Haniya in Tehran, Iran threatened Israel with retaliation. The State of Israel has not claimed responsibility for the murder.