A massive fireball and explosion near Jerusalem triggered widespread online speculation late Saturday after dramatic footage near a facility belonging to Israel’s state-owned Tomer defense company spread rapidly online amid mounting tensions surrounding Iran.
The explosion came less than a day after a New York Times report said Washington and Jerusalem were carrying out intensive preparations for the possibility of renewed military action should diplomacy with Tehran fail, while President Donald Trump on Saturday posted a cryptic “calm before the storm” message on Truth Social and separately warned Tehran it faces “a very bad time” if it refuses a deal.
Videos of the blast near Beit Shemesh — a large city roughly 19 miles west of Jerusalem — spread rapidly online late Saturday, showing a giant fireball and towering smoke plume near a Tomer testing area that immediately fueled speculation on social media.
Tomer, Israel’s state-owned defense company, develops rocket and missile propulsion systems used in programs including the Arrow-3 interceptor system, Barak missiles, precision rockets and satellite launch platforms.
The company later said the explosion stemmed from a “pre-planned experiment” that had been carried out according to plan.
“A pre-planned experiment” was conducted at the site and proceeded as expected, the company said, adding there were “no irregular incidents.”
Residents in and around Beit Shemesh reported hearing a powerful blast and seeing flames and smoke visible from considerable distances, while dramatic videos circulated online showing a massive plume rising over central Israel.
The scale of the explosion, coupled with the lack of public notice and broader tensions across the region, quickly fueled online theories regarding a possible security incident.
The test took place at a sensitive facility tied to missile and rocket propulsion systems, further intensifying speculation before officials clarified the nature of the blast.
Israeli media later reported that emergency services had been notified in advance of the test so authorities would understand the nature of the blast if alarmed residents called, though local residents themselves had not been informed beforehand.
Police reportedly said there was nothing unusual, while the Beit Shemesh municipality indicated it had not received advance notice of the test.
Iranian media and social media accounts rapidly amplified footage of the explosion, with some attempting to cast doubt on Israel’s explanation and suggesting the possibility of a broader security event.
However, Israeli officials and the Tomer company maintained there was no indication of a security breach or external involvement and said the incident stemmed from a scheduled test.
The explosion came as attention remained focused on mounting questions surrounding the future of negotiations with Iran.
A New York Times report published Friday said the United States and Israel were making what it described as their most intensive preparations since the ceasefire for the possibility of renewed operations should diplomatic efforts collapse.
The report, citing Middle Eastern officials, said military planners were examining a range of potential scenarios, while Israel’s Channel 12 television outlet quoted a senior Israeli official as saying preparations were underway for “days to weeks of fighting” pending Trump’s decisions regarding negotiations.
“The Americans understand that negotiations with Iran are going nowhere,” the unnamed Israeli official said, according to the report.
Trump has issued increasingly pointed warnings in recent days as negotiations appeared to stall.
Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Thursday, Trump warned he was not prepared to remain patient much longer.
“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not,” Trump said. “They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy.”
Earlier that same day, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the “military decimation of Iran” may be “(to be continued!)” as part of a broader post following his China trip.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from Beijing on Friday, Trump said he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iranian enrichment only with what he described as a “real” guarantee, adding that it had to be “a real 20 years, not a fake 20.”
On Saturday, Trump posted an AI-generated image on Truth Social carrying the message: “It was calm before the storm.”
In an interview Saturday, Trump said he had “no idea” whether Tehran would agree to a deal and warned that if it did not, “they’re going to have a bad time. A very bad time. They had better make a deal.”
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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