|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Tel Aviv, Israel — Former Bat Yam mayor Shlomo Lahiani was lightly injured on Sunday when an explosion struck his car as he drove along the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, in what police suspect was an attack linked to organized crime.
A second man in a nearby vehicle also sustained minor injuries. Both were transported to the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon for treatment.
The explosion occurred in Lahiani’s electric vehicle on the southbound lane of the Ayalon Highway, close to the La Guardia interchange. Footage shared on social media depicted two damaged cars with debris scattered across the road, causing temporary traffic disruptions.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Lahiani assured reporters, stating, “everything is okay, all good.” Israel Police have ruled out terrorism, focusing instead on criminal motives. Initial suspicions suggest that a bomb may have been attached to Lahiani’s car.
A police official informed Hebrew media that Lahiani has been at odds with figures linked to organized crime in recent years. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the blast and potential suspects.
A Troubled Past and Repeated Threats
Lahiani, 58, who served as Bat Yam’s mayor from 2003 to 2014, has faced legal troubles in the past. In 2015, he was jailed for tax offenses and accepting bribes totaling approximately NIS 900,000 (around $250,000).
He served five months in prison after pleading guilty and being granted early release upon completing two-thirds of his sentence.
Sunday’s incident is not the first time Lahiani has been targeted. Hebrew media reports indicate that in the past three years alone, Lahiani has survived at least three assassination attempts involving explosives.
In January 2023, a bomb was placed on his car, and another device was hurled at a restaurant owned by his family in Bat Yam the same year.
These attacks on Lahiani are part of a broader surge in violence linked to organized crime in Israel. In recent years, numerous bomb attacks have targeted vehicles amid escalating feuds between rival crime syndicates, often resulting in fatalities.
Public Safety Concerns Rise
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about public safety in Israel’s urban areas, particularly regarding the reach and brazenness of organized crime groups.
The use of explosives in densely populated zones such as major highways has alarmed both citizens and officials, prompting calls for more robust law enforcement measures.
The police have increased patrols and surveillance in the area following the attack. A spokesperson stated that the investigation is ongoing and urged anyone with information to come forward.
As authorities work to unravel the motive behind the latest attack, the incident underscores the ongoing threat posed by organized crime in Israel, a challenge that law enforcement has struggled to contain effectively.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
