Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed joint responsibility Monday for a bombing the day before in Tel Aviv that killed the apparent attacker and wounded a bystander.
The bomb appeared to go off before it was intended, and the presumed attacker was shown in security footage walking down the street wearing a large backpack just before the explosion, according to the Associated Press. Israeli media quoted police officials as saying the intended target was a nearby synagogue.
In a statement Monday, Hamas' militant wing said it and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's militant wing were responsible for the blast.
Al-Qassam Brigades, in cooperation with Saraya Al-Quds, announced "the execution of a martyrdom operation that took place last night, Sunday, in the city of 'Tel Aviv.'"
The groups threatened to continue to attack "as long as the massacres by the occupation, the displacement of civilians, and the assassination policy continue."
The Israeli Police Spokesperson's Unit and the Shin Bet Spokesperson's Unit released a joint statement of their own confirming the large explosion that detonated the night before in Israel was a "terror attack."
Since Sunday night, Tel Aviv District police officers, officers from the police bomb disposal unit, and forensic investigators, in collaboration with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), "have been working at the scene where a powerful bomb exploded on Lechi Road in Tel Aviv. All necessary actions and examinations are being carried out in coordination with the Shin Bet," the statement said. "It can now be confirmed that this was a terror attack involving the explosion of a powerful explosive."
Israeli officials said the explosion moderately injured a passerby who was transported to receive medical treatment.
"Immediately following the incident, the Tel Aviv District Commander conducted a special situational assessment with all investigative and support units, directing an increase in alert levels and extensive searches throughout the greater Tel Aviv area," the statement added. "The Israel Police continues to operate with heightened security measures in crowded areas, in collaboration with special units and volunteers from the emergency response teams, to ensure the safety and security of the public. We urge citizens to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious person or object to the Israel Police by calling the 100-emergency hotline."
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