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Late-night blast, fireball near Beit Shemesh rattles jittery residents

Rocket propellent firm Tomer says large explosion was ‘pre-planned experiment,’ test coordinated with authorities; following panic, company says will give public warning in future

A large blast accompanied by a fireball lit up the night sky in the city of Beit Shemesh late Saturday, rattling residents.

The state-owned Tomer defense firm later said that the blast was a pre-planned test and that authorities had been informed. However, residents said they had no warning.

The city, near Jerusalem, was hit several times by missiles fired by Iran during the recent war, and residents were on edge amid speculation that fighting could resume.

In a statement, Tomer — which develops engines for rockets and missiles, including the Arrow air defense system — said that the blast was “a pre-planned experiment that was carried out according to plan.”

An unnamed source in the company confirmed to the Kan public broadcaster that it was a controlled, planned explosion.

Channel 12 reported, without citing sources, that the test involved propellants for rockets, including those with a range of thousands of kilometers.

On Sunday, Kan reported that in the wake of the panic caused by the blast, a meeting was held at Tomer during which it was decided, in coordination with the Defense Ministry, to warn the public ahead of similar tests.

Tomer sources told the broadcaster that due to operational needs, the company is conducting testing at all hours, including during the night.

According to Kan, the company recently hired dozens of new employees, and the test was scheduled at night due to production constraints. Sources said it was carried out five kilometres from any population areas and that weather conditions had made the blast appear more “apocalyptic” than it actually was

As news of the blast spread, some speculated on social media that the factory had either been attacked or there was a major accident, and that authorities were hushing up the incident.

Company sources told Kan that police, the IDF, and the Fire and Rescue services were all notified in advance, and that was why no emergency vehicles arrived at the plant after the explosion.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that “the issue of advance warning to the public will be examined with the company.”

According to Kan, in 2021, there was a similar massive blast at the factory, which the company likewise said was a planned test that caused no injuries.