Sderot Man Charged After Attempted Tel Aviv Break-In and Knife Attack on Neighbor

A 39-year-old Sderot resident was arrested in south Tel Aviv after allegedly trying to break into an apartment on Tzelenov Street and attacking a neighbor who confronted him. Tel Aviv District police prosecutors filed a serious indictment and asked the court to keep him detained until the end of proceedings.

According to police, the incident began on June 5, 2026, when a report reached emergency line 100 about a suspicious man forcing his way into a residential building in south Tel Aviv. Investigators said he arrived with tools intended for the break-in and used a drill to try to open the apartment door in a populated neighborhood during daytime hours.

A neighbor who heard the commotion and saw what was happening approached the suspect and asked, "what are you doing?" Police said the man then became violent, pulled out a pair of scissors, and attacked the neighbor, stabbing him in the upper body and causing injuries. The police described the assault as potentially far more serious.

Officers from the Sharet station in the Ayalon area, together with National Guard Central Border Police fighters, rushed to the scene, searched nearby streets, and found the suspect as he tried to flee. They arrested him and seized the drill and scissors allegedly used in the attempted burglary and assault. After his initial questioning, he was jailed because of the danger he was considered to pose, and the court later extended his detention several times while investigators completed the case. With the probe now finished, prosecutors have charged him with aggravated assault by an armed offender and attempted break-in to a residence.