One dead in Israel 'crime' blast

Police and bomb experts arrived at the scene

One person died when a car blew up in a town south of Tel Aviv in an explosion blamed on criminal activity, Israeli police say.

Several people were injured in the blast at a main junction in Rishon Letzion, about 10 km (6 miles) south of Tel Aviv, ambulance services said.

Initial reports suggested a suicide attacker may have caused the blast, but police later blamed criminals.

Cars at the junction and buildings as far as 200m (650ft) away were damaged.

Increased security

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP news agency the explosion took place near a winery in central Rishon Letzion, causing a number of casualties.

Police closed the area and bomb experts were on the site, he said.

The bomb was under the driver's seat and only the driver was killed in the attack, police at the scene told the Associated Press news agency.

The explosion occurred at a busy time shortly before the start of the Jewish Sabbath.

Security has been stepped up for the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur on 1 October.

The most recent deadly suicide attack by Palestinian militants in Israel was in April this year.