Pipe bomb blast near Israeli embassy in Cyprus, 4 Syrians detained

In Cyprus, police said Saturday they had detained four Syrians on suspicion of detonating a pipe bomb that caused little damage and no casualties near the Israeli embassy in the capital Nicosia.

Police said the four, who range in age from 17 to 21, face charges of attempted destruction of property with explosives, possession and use of explosives and carrying a knife.

Police did not say whether the blast, about 30 meters (98 feet) from the Israeli embassy, was related to Israel's war against Hamas, sparked by the terror group's devastating attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

The Nicosia court ruled that the suspects must remain in police custody for six days before investigators can formally charge or release them.

According to police, two suspects were spotted near the scene of the explosion, while two others were sitting in a car parked in a nearby alley. Two knives and a hammer were also found inside the vehicle.

Cyprus bomb experts called to the scene found the remains of a detonated pipe bomb causing minor damage. Police said the explosive used in the fireworks was used in a bomb.

No immediate confirmation from Israel's Foreign Ministry.

In the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre, in which some 2,500 terrorists infiltrated Israel via land, sea and air and killed some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 hostages of various ages in southern Israel, security has been stepped up for Israeli and Jewish targets throughout the European Union.

The attack, in which Hamas terrorists and others seized border settlements, killed mostly civilians - men, women, children and the elderly - and executed entire families in their homes, as well as more than 260 people at an outdoor music festival, many of them killed in horrific acts of brutality by the terrorists, was described by U.S. President Joe Biden as "the worst murder of the Jewish people since the Holocaust".

Israel says its operation against Hamas is aimed at destroying the terror group's infrastructure and promises to destroy the entire terror organization ruling the Strip.

A number of European countries, including Cyprus, are holding mass protests in support of Palestinians following last week's bombing of a Gaza City hospital, for which the terror group falsely blamed Israel. Israel provided evidence showing that the explosion was caused by an Islamic Jihad missile error. The United States, also citing its own records, confirmed the Israeli version.

Rising anti-Semitism around the world has led to attacks on Jewish sites, including the burning of a synagogue in Berlin this week. Cyprus has a significant Jewish community, and since the beginning of the conflict, police have increased security around the Israeli embassy and other facilities.