Explosions in Eilat; Grad attack suspected

Police say two massive blasts heard in southern-most city, IDF forces scouring area to check whether blasts were result of rocket attack

Ynet reporters|Last update: 08.15.12 , 23:52

An Eilat Sub-District Police spokesman said two massive explosions were heard in Israel's southern-most city Wednesday evening, apparently as a result of a Grad rocket attack. The IDF confirmed that following reports of blasts, forces have begun scouring the area to check whether the explosions were a result of a Grad rocket attack.

There were no reports of injury or damage.

The army and police have yet to confirm that Grad rockets landed in Eilat.

Dozens of Ynet readers sent Red Emails in which they reported hearing loud explosions. Eilat police said it was also contacted by numerous residents.

"We heard to loud explosions. It was really scary," said Rotem, an Eilat resident. "Last time this happened the entire house shook."

Yoav, who is also from Eilat, said "I woke up from a deep sleep to the terrible sound of an explosion." Oren said he heard the sound of two rockets falling: "People on the street just froze in their tracks. It was frightening. Maybe it's time that sirens are installed in Eilat as well."

The blasts disrupted an Eyal Golan concert at the Coral Beach Club Hotel. "About 10 minutes after he began singing a police officer announced that the show had to be stopped," an audience member told Ynet.

Some two months ago the remnants of a Grad rocket were found a few dozen kilometers north of Eilat, in the Ovda region. The rocket was apparently launched from Sinai, but Israel has not ruled out the possibility that it was fired from Jordan.

A number of rockets were fired towards Eilat from Sinai over the past year. In April civilians discovered a rocket just a few meters from an apartment building. No one was injured.

Some two years ago rockets that were fired towards the city landed in the sea, and another landed in Aqaba, Jordan. That same year five Katyushas hit Eilat and Aqaba. The rockets did not result in any casualties on the Israeli side, but a Jordanian cab driver was killed and a number of other Jordanians were injured.

About a year ago terrorists armed with heavy weapons, guns and explosives launched four attacks in quick succession in southern Israel near the border with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing seven people and wounding 31 more, officials said.