Evening Update: "Strong Explosions" Shake Eilat

Grad Rocket Traces Found In South Eilat, After Strong Explosions Shake The City

Security forces found traces of a Grad rocket near a building site in the Shahamon neighborhood in south Eilat early on Thursday morning, after strong explosions shook the city.

The strong explosions were heard approximatley twenty minutes after midnight on Wednesday. No injuries or damage were reported.

Police found traces of the rocket near a building site, about 150 meters from a residential area of the city. Security forces are continuing to search for traces of rockets, which are thought to have been fired toward the city from the Sinai Peninsula.

Ron Gertner, police commander for the Eilat district, said that, "according to estimates, the rocket was fired from the Sinai area," adding that “investigations will continue in the morning, and only after their completion will we be able to reach any final conclusions.”

A senior security official said last month that several terror groups are now at large in Sinai. These include local Bedouin, who are adopting the ideology of the Global Jihad; groups supported by Iran, who are trying to recruit and train militants not only in Sinai but throughout Egypt; and Palestinian organizations. Joining them are Global Jihad militants from Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, said the official, adding that Israel and Egypt have a common interest in combating these terrorist elements.

Grad Rocket Slams Into Southern City Of Eilat

Eilat District Police commander Ron Gertner said that the southern city has been on full alert due to the upcoming Passover holiday, Israel Radio reported.

Gertner added that Eilat has been reinforced by additional forces that have arrived to assist police in handling the aftermath of the rocket fire incident.

Israeli authorities are coordinating with their counterparts in Jordan to discover the source of the rocket fire, according to Army Radio. The IDF stated that it is investigating the incident.

Israel has called on Egypt to increase its efforts to restore order in Sinai and to prevent attacks, but the Egyptian military has held back from dismantling the Hamas infrastructure in the peninsula. The IDF has beefed up its forces along the border and recently established a new regional brigade that is responsible for defending Eilat and nearby areas.