Salafi group claims responsibility for rocket fire
Mujahideen Shura Council of Jerusalem says fire at Eilat was in response to killing of Palestinians near Einav settlement. Egypt establishes team to check source of fire
The Mujahideen Shura Council of Jerusalem has claimed responsibility for the firing of rockets at Eilat, Arab media are reporting. A statement issued by the Salafi group said that two Grad rockets had been fired but did not disclose from where.
It was further stated that the attack was in response to the killing of two Palestinians who hurled a Molotov cocktail at an IDF post near the settlement of Einav earlier this month.
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Last March, the group, which operates both in Sinai and in Gaza, claimed responsibility for the firing of Gaza rockets during US President Barack Obama's visit to Israel.
The past few weeks have seen Hamas cracking down on Salafi groups breaching the ceasefire agreement reached at the end of Operation Pillar of Defense .
Meanwhile, Egyptian newspaper al-Youm al-Sabaa reported that Egypt has raised its alert level along the border and that Sinai Bedouin tribal leaders were asked to monitor any suspicious movements in the area.
Initially, Egyptian security forces were quick to deny that the firing had come from Sinai. A top military official told Sky Arabia that there had been no firing from Egypt and South Sinai Governor Khaled Fuda added that "Israel's claims on the origin of the fire are false."
Fuda said that Israel is trying to hurt Sinai tourism and destabilize the region.
Also Wednesday, German news agency DPA quoted an Egyptian defense source as saying that Israel must examine the rockets before stating their origin.
But the tone of the statements softened later in the day. Egypt's state news agency quoted sources as saying that authorities are conducting examinations to check Israel's claims. A local news website quoted other officials as saying that security forces are canvassing the Sinai Peninsula, mainly the border area.
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