JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Israel Defense Forces ordered Eilat’s airport to close following a security assessment.
The airport was ordered to close Thursday evening; it was reopened two hours later.
Eight flights scheduled to land Thursday night in Eilat were rerouted to the Ovda Airport in the Negev, according to Haaretz.
Eilat’s airport receives direct flights from several European cities. The city is currently teeming with tourists from Israel and abroad.
“Civilian airports are managed in coordination with the Israel Air Force and Israel Airports Authority, in accordance with security assessments,” the IDF said in a statement after ordering the closure.
Eilat is located near Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, which has been the site of lawlessness and suspected terrorist activity since the military overthrew President Mohammed Morsi one month ago. Egyptian security forces are currently hunting for terrorists in the Sinai, according to reports.
The IDF recently moved Iron Dome anti-missile batteries into the area, according to reports.
