Car blast kills one near, wounds 6 in Tel Aviv

JERUSALEM, Sep 29 (Reuters) A suspected car bomb exploded in a town south of the coastal city of Tel Aviv today, killing at least one person and wounding six others, Israeli rescue and ambulance services said.

The Zaka rescue service said the car exploded in the town of Rishon le-Tsiyon and said six people were wounded. The Magen David Adom ambulance service said one person was killed and said it was treating others at the scene.

The vehicle was still on fire, the ambulance service said.

Israeli army radio said it appeared that someone may have blown himself up inside the vehicle, accounting for the death, but that could not be independently confirmed.

The Israeli police said they were checking the reports.

Israel has sharply stepped up security throughout the country and in the occupied West Bank in recent days, in the run up to the Yom Kippur holiday, which falls on October 1st.

Rishon le-Tsiyon lies about 10 km (6 miles) south of Tel Aviv.

REUTERS PR HT1655