A rocket fired from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula slammed into the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat yesterday, police said, causing no injuries in the town packed with tourists ahead of a Jewish holiday.
The attack prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn that Israel would “hit those who hit us.”
Eilat police were put on the highest state of alert following the blast, which occurred shortly after midnight, officials said.
“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 a Grad rocket slammed into a construction site in the city, about 300 metres (yards) from a residential area, shortly after midnight.
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 told AFP. Police were conducting searches to see if anything else had hit the town.
The Israeli army confirmed details of the incident.