A large blast accompanied by a fireball lit up the night sky in the city of Beit Shemesh late Saturday, rattling residents.

The state-owned Tomer defense firm later said that the blast was a pre-planned test and that authorities had been informed. However residents said they had no warning.

The city, near Jerusalem, was hit several times by missiles fired by Iran during the recent war and residents were on edge amid speculation that fighting could resume.

In a statement, Tomer — which develops engines for rockets and missiles, including the Arrow air defense system — said that the blast was “a pre-planned experiment that was carried out according to plan.”

An unnamed source in the company confirmed to the Kan public broadcaster that it was a controlled, planned explosion, but did not offer an explanation why it was carried out at 11.30 p.m.

Channel 12 reported, without citing sources, that the test involved propellants for rockets, including those with a range of thousands of kilometers.

According Kan, in 2021, there was a similar massive blast at the factory, which the company likewise said was a planned test that caused no injuries or and unexpected outcome.

תיעוד: תושבים באזור בית שמש דיווחו על פיצוץ עז ואש שנראית מרחוק. מראה קצת........

© The Times of Israel