The man killed in Tuesday afternoon's car explosion in Kiryat Haim was identified as Rabea Abu Haykal, a known criminal figure linked to the Nasser Hariri crime organization. Police said the blast was a criminal hit tied to a dispute between Arab organized crime families, and noted Abu Haykal had previously been investigated for weapons, murder, and attempted murder offenses.
The victim of Tuesday afternoon's car bombing in Kiryat Haim (Neighborhood of Haifa) has been formally identified as Rabea Abu Haykal, 49, of Umm al-Fahm. Police confirmed the explosion was a targeted assassination using an explosive device attached to the vehicle. The blast occurred around 16:00 on Achi Eilat Street; witnesses described hearing a massive explosion and seeing the vehicle in flames with secondary explosions. Magen David Adom paramedics declared the driver dead at the scene, suffering severe multi-system trauma. Police stated the motive was criminal, stemming from a dispute between organized crime families in Arab society. Long-standing affiliates of the Nasser Hariri crime organization reported Abu Haykal had previously been investigated on suspicion of weapons offenses, murder, and attempted murder. The killing marks the third such car-bomb assassination within a week across Israeli cities, following fatal blast in Jaffa on June 28 and in Holon earlier the same day, signaling an intensifying wave of organized-crime violence in the Arab-Israeli community.
12 developments
- DevelopingCourt extends remand of three suspects in Kiryat Haim car bomb case; investigation assigned to YAMAR unit
- StrongKiryat Haim vehicle explosion was car bomb, police say — criminal motive suspected
- DevelopingPolice investigate Kiryat Ha'im shooting into car; victim is known criminal
- StrongMurder victim near Yagur identified as Kamel Abu Klib
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