A car has exploded near the Israeli defence ministry in Tel Aviv, injuring several people in what police say is a crime-related incident and not linked to militant groups.

Israeli public radio said three people were injured in the explosion, none seriously.It said the attack appeared to have targeted Nissim Halperon, head of one of Israel's top organised crime families."A car bomb exploded in Tel Aviv. Apparently it is a criminal incident, a settling of accounts," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.Mr Halperon has already escaped seven attempted assassinations, including one six months ago in the Ramat Gan suburb of Tel Aviv.He did not appear to have been in the car when the bomb exploded, public radio said.