One killed after truck rams bus stop near Tel Aviv - as Iranian leader responds to Israeli strikes

27 October 2024, 09:39 | Updated: 27 October 2024, 23:11

At least one person has been killed and dozens have been injured after a truck rammed into a bus stop near Tel Aviv, emergency services have said.

The incident, which left more than 30 people injured, came as Iran's leaders gave their condolences to the families of four people killed by Israeli strikes on military sites in Iran.

"Enemies of Iran should know these brave people are standing fearlessly in defence of their land and will respond to any stupidity with tact and intelligence," President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X.

Elsewhere, at least 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza on Saturday night, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

More than 30 injured after truck rams bus stop

Israel's Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service said the truck incident took place as a bus dropped off passengers near the Glilot military base in Ramat Hasharon, near Tel Aviv, on Sunday morning. More than 30 people were injured.

An Israeli police spokesperson said a preliminary investigation indicated that the truck collided with passengers as well as the bus.

United Hatzalah, a volunteer emergency service, said "a large number of pedestrians" were involved, and that people remained trapped under the truck 30 minutes after the incident.

Civilians at the scene "shot at the truck driver and neutralised him," Israeli police said.

Asi Aharoni, Israeli police spokesperson, later added: "We are treating this as a terror incident. The identity of the terrorist is still unknown, apparently it is an Israeli-Arab.

"At the moment we, together with the Shin Bet [Israeli security agency], are trying to find out the identity and get absolute certainty."

Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group praised the attack but did not say they were behind it.

An MDA spokesperson later said six people were left in serious condition from the incident.

Read more:
Israel goes for Goldilocks option in its Iran retaliation
WHO loses touch with staff as Gaza hospital 'raided by Israel'

It came after at least 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza on Saturday night, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Many of those killed were women and children, officials said.

Separately, several people were also killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The Israeli military has said it was targetting a Hamas command centre.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel targeted military sites in Iran, killing four people and hitting bases in Ilam, Khuzestan and Tehran provinces.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the attacks, saying they "should neither be downplayed nor exaggerated".

According to Iranian state media, he said: "Whatever is in the best interest of this nation and country should be carried out."

(c) Sky News 2024: One killed after truck rams bus stop near Tel Aviv - as Iranian leader responds to Israeli strikes