Explosion occurs near Israeli embassy in Nicosia

An explosive device went off near the Israeli embassy in Nicosia early on Saturday, Cypriot police said in a statement, reported Xinhua.

The police said the explosive device was a metal container filled with a small quantity of explosive charge which went off at 1:30 a.m. local time at a distance of 30 meters from the building of the embassy.

No significant damage was caused, the police said.

The statement added that during a search operation by the police in the immediate location of the embassy, four individuals aged between 17 and 21 were arrested.

It said that two youths were located walking in a street and another two sitting in a parked car, in which two knives and a hammer were found.

State-run CyBC radio reported that all four individuals are being held pending an investigation in relation to the explosion.

Cypriot authorities said they had tightened security measures at locations of Israeli interests, such as the embassy and synagogues after the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and the Israeli army on Oct. 7.