"They Hurt Our Daughters, Ashdod Could Turn Into a Battlefield"

A grenade attack in Ashdod that left four young women injured, including a 16-year-old in critical condition, is now believed to be an act of retaliation linked to organized crime disputes in the city.

According to police, the overnight attack on Ibn Gvirol Street may have been a response to an incident two days earlier, when a fragmentation grenade was thrown at the home of a known local criminal on Shu’alei Shimshon Street. That earlier blast caused heavy property damage but no injuries.

Investigators suspect the intended target on Sunday night was another prominent underworld figure, who was expected at the home but never arrived. Instead, the assailant, described as a masked man on a motorcycle, hurled the grenade into the property and fled. Police believe he was unaware that four young women, aged 16 to 23, were in the yard at the time.

The victims include the teenage daughter of a low-profile crime figure in the city. Officers stress that the women had no direct involvement in the ongoing gang feud.

A local criminal warned that the attack has crossed a dangerous line:

“People are furious, they hurt their daughters. Whoever planned, ordered, or carried out this grenade attack will pay a price. People are gathering intelligence to find out exactly who’s responsible. This could turn Ashdod into a battlefield.”

Witnesses described scenes of chaos and horror.

“The girls were screaming for help, covered in blood. The explosion was massive, it shook the entire area,” one neighbor recalled. “One girl was critically injured. I just hope she survives.”

Police say the attack is the latest escalation in a long-running turf war between local street gangs and organized crime groups vying for control in Ashdod. In recent years, the feud has seen attempted hits, bombings, and grenade attacks. Authorities fear the incident could spark a fresh wave of retaliatory violence, putting civilians at risk.

In an attempt to prevent further bloodshed, police have issued direct warnings to key figures linked to the conflict, and are considering preemptive arrests or removing certain individuals from the city.

“This was a grave incident in which innocent people were hurt,” a senior police officer said. “We will bring all those involved to justice with the full severity of the law.”