Man killed as truck explodes on highway in suspected criminal hit
Force of explosion reportedly throws driver from vehicle, which then continues to travel down road for some 500 meters
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A man was killed Wednesday evening when his truck exploded while driving down a highway close to the central Israel city of Rosh Ha’Ayin.
Police said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the explosion, while Hebrew-language media outlets reported that it was suspected to be a criminal assassination.
According to the Walla news site, the deceased man was thrown from the vehicle by the force of the explosion, which is believed to have originated from the cab of the truck.
The vehicle then continued to travel for approximately 500 meters down the highway.
Car bombs set off as part of underworld gang wars have long wracked Israeli cities, with law enforcement authorities struggling to stem the phenomenon.
Last month a man was killed and two were injured when their car exploded in a suspected mob hit while they were driving down one of Israel’s busiest highways.
The explosion took place in a Skoda vehicle at the junction of coastal Route 2 with Route 20, near Kibbutz Ga’ash in the central region of the country.
The Hebrew media Walla news website named one of those injured as Alik Ben and reported that police believe he was the target of the hit, which came as part of ongoing fighting among organized crime gangs in the coastal city of Netanya.
Days earlier, two men were killed when a bomb went off in the car they were traveling in as it drove through Tel Aviv. Channel 10 reported that one of those killed was due to testify in court against a local crime kingpin.
The Times of Israel Community.