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Rocket hits Israel resort town of Eilat, no one hurt
A rocket fired from the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula has exploded overnight in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat.
"This rocket, which was fired from Egypt, exploded in the
town but did not cause any injuries or damage," Eilat District
police chief Ron Gertner told Israel`s army radio.
Gertner said the incident occurred shortly after midnight
when a Grad rocket hit a construction site in the city, about
300 metres from a block of flats.
In all three loud blasts rocked the city, prompting
hundreds of worried people to ring the emergency police
number.
"Eilat residents heard three explosions in the night, but
for the moment we have only found one rocket," police
spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Police were conducting
searches to see if anything else had hit the town.
The Israeli army confirmed details of the incident.
"This rocket exploded in the town but there were no
victims or damage," a military spokeswoman said.
It was the first such firing since the collapse of the
regime of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak who was toppled in
February 2011, since when a wave of unrest has swept the
restive Sinai Peninsula which borders on Israel.
The blast occurred as thousands of Israeli and foreign
tourists descended on the resort town to celebrate the
week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins at sundown
tomorrow.
PTI