The Palestinian Islamist militant organization Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.

On 5 June 2002, a Palestinian suicide bomber drove a Renault van loaded with dozens of kilograms of explosives to Highway 65.

At 7:15 am, the bomber detonated the explosive device near the fuel tank of the bus, causing it to burst into flames.

[1] According to a member of the rescue crew, "people were thrown out of the bus by the force of the bomb" and rescuers could not board the vehicle immediately due to the extreme heat.

[7] Iyad Sawalha, the perpetrator who assembled the car bomb, was eliminated by IDF special forces from Sayeret Golani and Egoz Unit on November 9.