It's really disturbing how accustomed we have become to these attacks ("Twenty killed in double bombing at Tel Aviv bus station" - Jpost, Haaretz).

Walking downtown at around 7 PM, I knew that there had been an attack when I heard a few seconds of radio from a passing car. Didn't hear what they said, but you can tell when they have a reporter or bystander calling in and sounding unsure of what's going on. The reporting that I heard (about an hour after the fact) just sounded too calm. An announcer began an interview with Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai by saying "shalom rav" before asking if this was the most severe attack to hit Tel Aviv in the intifada (that's sort of like saying "good evening").

As it happens, T. and I had just had a quick dinner earlier in the evening at the Sbarro that had been bombed in Aug 2001.

Islamic Jihad is saying that the Tel Aviv attack is "in revenge" for something or other. But it should be obvious that they launch these attacks whenever they can, and that the relative quiet recently is due to the operations of the IDF in the West Bank and now Gaza, rather than any change of heart or goodwill from the Palestinians.

More: Imshin heard the explosion from her apartment. Gil's blog has photographs of the attack.