[ALL UPDATES IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

According to media reports from Bulgaria, an explosion or gunfire was heard against a tour bus or commercial vehicles transporting Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria. According to preliminary information, the attack occurred at 17:30 local time. There appears to be a number of people wounded in the attack, which occurred near the airport. There are reports of “smoke and fire” emanating from the bus or nearby airport but this is unclear.

Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.

UPDATE 11:45AM EST: Officials in the Foreign Ministry’s Situation Room are confirming some type of attack or incident against Israeli tourists in Burgas Bulgaria. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time.

It appears a group of Israeli tourists landed in the airport at 17:00. They got their luggage from baggage claim and gathered together as a group, waiting for the persons who were to show them around and take them to the bus.

One passenger, Shoshi Eiler explained to Ynet that they were going to head to a hotel and she got onto bus number four together with her son and then they heard an explosion on another bus, directly next to theirs, seconds after boarding their bus. Smoke immediately began bellowing out of the bus next to us. People began running towards the terminal in hysterics. Security personnel in the airport began trying to assist and bring the group inside under the protection of the terminal.

More details as they become available.

UPDATE 12:ooPM EST: Information coming from Bulgaria is via official channels but unconfirmed as too there is simply too much confusion at this time.

It appears that the incident in the Burgas Airport was a multipronged terror attack involving gunfire and an explosive device against Israeli tourists boarding buses shortly after arriving on vacation.

The Israel Foreign Ministry Situation Room is monitoring events and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has already spoken with the Bulgarian foreign minister, who is reportedly making his way to the airport.

It appears 3-to-5 persons have been killed and “tens may have been injured” by gunfire and/or a bomb blast.

The local Chabad Shaliach, Rav Yosef Solomon appears to be briefing officials in the Israeli Foreign Ministry Situation Room.

Wikipedia; Burgas or Bourgas is the second-largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and the fourth-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, with a population of 200,271 inhabitants according to the 2011 census.It is the capital of Burgas Province and an important industrial, transport, cultural and tourist centre.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)