Blast heard in southern Israeli city

An explosion was heard in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva early today, and Israel Radio said there were casualties.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, which the radio reports said went off near a bank in the city, 40 miles south of Jerusalem.

Israel Radio quoted Beersheva police as saying the explosion was a terrorist attack near the Bank Hapoalim building.

One suspect was captured and another escaped.

‘‘An ambulance that arrived at the scene reported three people lightly injured,’’ said Yerucham Mandola, a spokesman for the Israeli national ambulance service, Magen David Adom.

A suicide bombing on Tuesday, carried out by Hamas militants, killed 15 Israelis in the Rishon Letzion suburb of Tel Aviv.