Another attack in Israel leaves five dead

A gunman with a rifle opened fire on passersby on a street in Bnei Brak, a city of ultra-Orthodox Jews just east of Tel Aviv, late Tuesday. Police officers who arrived at the location shot and killed the suspect, identified as a 27-year-old Palestinian from the northern West Bank town of Yabad. The victims included one police officer who engaged the gunman. Tuesday’s violence marked the third such street attack in a week.

Who is behind the attack? No one has claimed responsibility yet. The militant Hamas group praised the “heroic operation,” but did not say it was behind it. Islamic State (ISIS) claimed the two earlier attacks in the Israeli cities of Hadera and Beersheba. Pakistani terror organizations have called for increased attacks before the Muslim observance of Ramadan starts April 2. Israel’s police chief raised the national readiness level to its highest, and the military deployed additional troops to the West Bank. 

Dig deeper: Read Mary Muncy’s report in The Sift on the previous terror attacks.