JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Islamic terror group based in the Sinai Peninsula claimed credit for firing at least two rockets on Eilat.
At least two long-range Grad missiles were fired at Eilat on Friday night. One was intercepted over the southern Israeli resort town by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.
Two other explosions were heard in Eilat, according to reports.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, an extremist Salafist group, claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on Eilat in an official statement, saying it was in response to recent Israeli rocket attacks on the Gaza Strip, according to reports.
Early Friday morning, Israeli airstrikes hit what the Israel Defense Forces called a terror activity site and a weapons-manufacturing facility in the northern Gaza Strip, and a weapons-storage facility in southern Gaza. The IDF said the strikes were in response to rockets fired at Israel from Gaza several hours earlier.
Eilat has been targeted by rockets fired from the Sinai in recent years. In August, the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a long-range missile fired at Eilat; others have landed in open areas.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for two long-range rockets fired on Eilat on Jan. 20.
