Five Katyusha rockets fired against the towns of Eilat and Aqaba
Tel Aviv (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Five Katyusha rockets were fired at the Israeli port city of Eilat on the Red Sea, and against the nearby town of Aqaba in Jordan. Two seem to have exploded at sea, another in an open area in Eilat and two hit an industrial area of Aqaba. According to Israeli security, the rockets were launched from the Sinai Peninsula, but so far the identity of the launchers is uncertain.
The blasts occurred shortly before eight o'clock in the morning local time. Official news about the damage caused by rockets is still unclear, but it seems there are no victims. One of the rockets exploded in front of the Intercontinental Hotel in Aqaba, injuring four people. So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Eilat is a Red Sea tourist resort and has been subject to rocket attacks three times in five years. The latest attack was in April, when two rockets hit the port of Eilat and Aqaba. In 2005, a rocket exploded near Eilat without causing injuries. A group linked to al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In January 2007 a Palestinian suicide bomber killed three people who worked in a bakery in Eilat. The attack was claimed both by al-Aqsa Martyrs is from Islamic Jihad.
Yesterday, Israeli aircraft bombed two tunnels in the Gaza Strip after a Katyusha rocket struck the city of Ashkelon and a Qassam rocket hit western Negev, a semi-desert area in southern Israel, on July 30 last.