A violent incident occurred overnight Saturday in Ashdod, where a grenade was thrown at a residential building, injuring four women.
Among the victims was a 16-year-old girl who sustained serious injuries, while three others, aged 17, 21, and 23, suffered moderate injuries. The attack took place on Ibn Gvirol Street in the southern coastal city.
According to the Israel Police, this incident does not appear to be a terrorist attack. Law enforcement officials indicated that the incident likely stemmed from ongoing conflicts between rival crime gangs operating in the region.
Magen David Adom medics who responded to the scene reported finding the injured women conscious and lying outside the building. They were subsequently transported to Ashdod’s Assuta Medical Center for medical attention.
Police investigations reveal that the women were seated outside in the yard when the grenade was thrown. Reports from the Walla news outlet suggest that the assailant mistakenly targeted the wrong building, as the victims had no known ties to the ongoing criminal rivalry.
This incident followed another grenade attack on Shu’alei Shimshon Street in Ashdod on Thursday night, which caused property damage but left no one injured. Such incidents are becoming increasingly common in the Lachish region, where new gangs are challenging established crime families for control.
An anonymous source within the criminal underworld noted that these gang conflicts are escalating. Recent police operations have aimed to curb this violence, resulting in the confiscation of grenades and other weapons. Authorities have also prevented numerous planned attacks, often apprehending suspects shortly before they could carry out their actions.
In recent times, Israel has faced a troubling increase in violent crime, largely attributed to these power struggles among organized crime families. For instance, last month, a man in Herzliya was seriously injured by a grenade explosion, the second such incident in the city within one week and the third occurrence in a month.
