Large blast near Beit Shemesh part of pre-planned test: Israeli defence firm

Israel's Tomer defence company causes a stir with a rocket engine experiment near Beit Shemesh

A large explosion near the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh late Saturday was part of a pre-planned and controlled test, according to a statement by state-owned Tomer defence company that was cited by The Times of Israel.

Videos on social media showed flames and a large plume of smoke rising from the area following the blast, which was heard in nearby communities.

Massive Mushroom Explosion Rocks Beit Shemesh West of Al-Quds

A massive explosion rocked the town of Beit Shemesh west of Al-Quds on Saturday, sending a large mushroom cloud billowing into the sky. Emergencies were blocked from reaching the scene of the blast. pic.twitter.com/8V622u5iMD

— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) May 17, 2026

The Times of Israel said the explosion occurred at a testing ground belonging to Tomer, a company that develops rocket and missile engines.

The company said the blast was a “pre-planned experiment” that was carried out according to schedule.

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Israel announced on Thursday the signing of a contract worth more than $34 million to develop “an extended-range” capability for the F-35 Adir fighter jet.

The Defence Ministry said in a statement that its Defence Procurement Directorate signed the deal with Cyclone, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems.

The agreement covers “the development of an extended-range capability for the F-35 ‘Adir’ fighter jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin,” the statement added.

“The deal, valued at over $34 million (over NIS 100 million), covers the development and integration of external fuel tanks based on an existing Cyclone design originally developed for the F-16,” it said.