A man was killed Thursday, June 18, 2026, when his car exploded in Kiryat Gat. Police believe the incident was criminal in nature, and are examining whether an explosive device had been attached to the vehicle in an apparent targeted killing.
The victim was known to police from the drug trafficking world, which reinforced the initial assessment that the blast was not accidental. Footage from the scene showed the car engulfed in flames between apartment buildings.
Fire and Rescue officials said crews arriving at the scene found a vehicle burning completely and moved quickly to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading. During the firefighting and search operations, they found a person inside the car with no signs of life, and medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.