Explosions that rattled central Israel on Thursday are being treated as a suspected terror attack.

Multiple buses were targeted in the city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, where three blasts went off and two more buses were found with undetonated explosives. No injuries were reported.

The explosions happened on a day when Israel was already grieving after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages from Gaza as part of a ceasefire deal. 

The bus explosions were reminiscent of bombings during the Palestinian uprising of the 2000s, but such attacks are now rare.

Israeli police said the five bombs were identical and equipped with timers, and said bomb squads were defusing the unexploded bombs.

Investigators in white coveralls searched for evidence inside the burned-out metal shells of the buses, which blew up in a car park.

Bay Yam’s mayor, Tzvika Brot, said it was a miracle no one was hurt. The buses had been parked after finishing their routes, he said.