Mystery Blast In Israeli Defence Facility? E CIA Analyst Questions Tehran’s ‘Planned Test’ Claim

Mystery Blast In Israeli Defence Facility? E CIA Analyst Questions Tehran’s ‘Planned Test’ Claim Published By, Last Updated: May 17, 2026, 10:41 IST Blast at Tomer defence test site near Beit Shemesh sparks speculation, officials call it a planned experiment, but Larry Johnson links it to Arrow 3 and warns war may be imminent. Was Israel’s Massive Explosion Really Planned? CIA Officer Questions Official Version A powerful blast near the Jerusalem-area city of Beit Shemesh on Saturday night has triggered widespread speculation after dramatic visuals from the site spread rapidly across social media. The explosion took place at a testing ground linked to the state-owned Tomer defence company, which develops engines for Israeli rocket and missile systems, including Arrow interceptor missiles. Israeli authorities described the incident as a “pre-planned experiment" carried out according to schedule. However, former CIA analyst Larry Johnson in an interview with Mario Nawfal on X, has questioned the official explanation, claiming several aspects of the incident do not match a routine controlled test. Larry Johnson raises questions Johnson said the scale of the explosion, the timing, and restrictions placed on emergency responders raised serious doubts. “Emergency services, the emergency response was blocked from going to the area. So if it was an accident that involved injuries, accidents generally involve injuries," Johnson said. He also questioned why such a detonation would happen late at night without prior warnings to emergency services or nearby residents. “Nobody does a controlled blast at 12:30 a.m. without telling first responders," he said. Johnson claimed all possible explanations pointed towards escalating regional tensions. “All scenarios point to war being imminent, and that’s not a good sign at all," he added. 🇮🇱 Something massive just blew up inside an Israeli defense plant that makes Arrow missile interceptors, and emergency crews were initially blocked from the scene.Fmr. CIA Analyst Larry Johnson says accident or sabotage are the only two logical outcomes, but rules out a… pic.twitter.com/DpLymEYVsY — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 17, 2026 Speculation around Israel’s Arrow-3 missile system Hebrew media reports later suggested the explosion may have involved Sdot Micha Airbase, a sensitive Israeli missile facility near the area. According to reports, the blast may have destroyed part of a stockpile linked to the Arrow-3 missile defence system. Speculation centred around a sodium perchlorate storage area reportedly used in producing rocket motors for surface-to-air missile systems. Reports suggested the material may have caught fire due to mishandling. If confirmed, the damage could affect one of Israel’s two Arrow-3 missile batteries. The Arrow-3 system is considered Israel’s top-tier exoatmospheric missile defence platform. Explosion videos too fuel debate Videos from the scene showed a massive fireball and a towering mushroom cloud visible from miles away. Some eyewitnesses reportedly initially feared it resembled a tactical weapons explosion because of its scale. Johnson said the similarities between the latest blast and a similar mushroom-cloud incident reported at the same facility in April 2021 were difficult to ignore. He argued that the timing – during the Sabbath, when work is generally limited in Israel unless urgent military activity is involved – added to the speculation. Israeli authorities maintain blast was a test Despite the theories circulating online, Israeli authorities have maintained that the explosion was part of a planned experiment with no external involvement. Officials said there were no reported casualties and no security breach linked to the incident. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Israel First Published: May 17, 2026, 09:56 IST News world Mystery Blast In Israeli Defence Facility? E CIA Analyst Questions Tehran’s ‘Planned Test’ Claim Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...