A massive fireball erupted following an explosion near an Israeli Defence facility near the Jerusalem-area city of Beit Shemesh on Saturday night, media reports stated. The visuals of the blast went viral on social media, with some users speculating a possible sabotage.ย
As per a report in the Times of Israel, the blast occurred near a testing ground, which belongs to the state-owned Tomer defence company. The company brushed aside any speculations of sabotage or external involvement, stating that it was a ‘pre-planned experiment’ carried out as per the schedule.
Residents hear large explosion sound
The explosion led to a big smoke cloud forming in the sky, as it led to a large blasting sound. The residents heard the noise as videos of the explosion went viral on social media. The blast happened in the night as the sky beamed with a sudden light and fire, with citizens worried.
Israeli airstrike kills Hamas’ military wing leader
In a separate incident, the Israeli military said that its airstrike in Gaza had killed the leader of Hamas’ military wing, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was one of the last surviving architects of the attacks that triggered the war in late 2023.
The Israeli army described Al-Haddad as one of the senior Hamas military commanders who oversaw the planning and execution of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains fragile
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem confirmed the killing in a social media post. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with the diplomat overseeing negotiations saying talks have stalled over disagreements on disarming Hamas, while both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the truce.
According to Gazaโs Health Ministry, more than 850 people have been killed in the territory since the ceasefire came into effect in October. The ministry, which operates under Gazaโs Hamas-run government but is staffed by medical professionals, says Israeli strikes during the war have killed over 72,700 people and caused widespread devastation across Gaza.
ALSO READ |ย ‘Calm before the storm’: Trump shares cryptic post amid reports of possible fresh strikes on Iran