Two flash bombs land near Netanyahu's home, says Israeli security agency

Two flares landed near Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence in the central town of Caesarea, security services confirmed on Saturday.

"Two flares landed in the courtyard outside the prime minister's residence," police and the Shin Bet internal security agency said in a joint statement.

"The prime minister and his family were not in the house at the time of the incident," they added.

"An investigation has been opened. This is a serious incident and a dangerous escalation."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the incident and warned "against an increase in violence in the public sphere.

"I have now spoken with the head of the Shin Bet and expressed the urgent need to investigate and deal with those responsible for the incident as soon as possible," Herzog said in a post on X.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the flares.

The incident comes after a drone attack targeting the same residence on October 19, which was later claimed by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu at the time accused Hezbollah of attempting to assassinate him and his wife.

Since September 23, Israel has escalated its bombing of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, later sending in ground troops after almost a year of limited, cross-border exchanges of fire begun by Hezbollah militants over the war in Gaza.