A car exploded in central Tel Aviv early Thursday afternoon, after a bomb was apparently detonated by a motorcyclist nearby. At least seven people were lightly wounded, and were being treated by paramedics at the scene.

An initial investigation indicated that the explosion on the corner of Begin Streets was an assassination attempt targeting criminal kingpin Nissim Alperon.

The black Mazda was moving at the time of the blast, and burst into flames. A nearby bus apparently empty of passengers was also hit in the explosion. Alperon was reportedly sitting in the car just before the blast, but managed to escape unscathed.