Tel Aviv police arrest two in connection to arson attack targeting Japanika branch in Givatayim

Tel Aviv police have filed prosecutor's declarations against two 18-year-old Rehovot residents in connection with an arson attack on a Japanika branch in Givatayim on July 12. Two masked men reportedly poured a flammable substance and set fire to the restaurant, causing property damage but no injuries. This incident is part of a series of attacks targeting Japanika branches in central Israel, including grenade and pipe bomb attacks, believed to stem from a conflict between the Musli and Jarushi crime organizations over a multi-million dollar cryptocurrency dispute. The investigation utilized technological means to identify the suspects, and evidence was found during searches of their homes. These arrests follow charges filed in another Japanika attack in Kiryat Ono, and the arrest of Musli crime family boss Yossi Musli on July 14 in connection with the broader wave of attacks.