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HERZLIYA — A man in his 40s was seriously injured on Sunday afternoon when a grenade exploded in Herzliya Pituah, a wealthy seaside neighborhood north of Tel Aviv, authorities said.
The blast, which occurred in a residential area, is the second grenade incident in Herzliya in four days and the third in the past month, raising serious concerns about the surge in organized crime violence across Israel.
Magen David Adom paramedics found the injured man conscious but suffering from severe upper body wounds. He was treated at the scene and evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikvah for further medical care. Medics credited quick action by nearby residents, who rushed to assist the man before emergency teams arrived.
Police quickly cordoned off the area and opened an investigation. A spokesperson for the Israel Police confirmed that the explosion was not considered a terror-related attack, but rather part of a broader trend of criminal violence.
Following an assessment by district and station commanders, detectives from the Tel Aviv District’s investigations and intelligence unit were assigned to lead the inquiry.
Just an hour after the Herzliya blast, police responded to another grenade incident—this time in the yard of a private residence in Holon, south of Tel Aviv. No injuries were reported, but investigators suspect a similar criminal motive.
Last Wednesday, a grenade was thrown into the Herzliya yard of Nicol Raidman, a well-known socialite and close friend of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara. The explosive landed in a swimming pool, absorbing the blast and causing no injuries. Raidman later stated she did not believe she was the intended target.
The attack on Raidman’s home came less than two weeks after another grenade was hurled into the yard of the Norwegian ambassador’s residence in the same neighborhood. No one was hurt in that incident either.
These incidents are part of a growing wave of criminal violence in Israel, frequently involving explosives and firearms. Last month, the State Prosecutor’s Office announced pending indictments against four alleged gang members accused of carrying out two grenade attacks on an apartment building in Tel Aviv earlier this year.
Security analysts and local authorities say the escalating use of explosives, particularly in affluent and diplomatic neighborhoods, signals a dangerous evolution in criminal turf wars, with law enforcement agencies under growing pressure to contain the violence.
As investigations continue, police have urged the public to report any suspicious activity and pledged to step up patrols and intelligence efforts in high-risk areas.