Rocket remains found north of Eilat

IDF forces discovered Tuesday the remains of a rocket believed to have been launched into Israeli territory from the Sinai Peninsula last week.

The rocket was found in an open area approximately 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) northwest of Eilat after a citizen in the area noticed the remains.

Two explosions and flashes of light rocked Eilat Thursday, but no red-alert siren was sounded. At the time, authorities estimated that the rockets landed in open territory, possibly beyond the Israeli border.

On Friday, a terrorist organization belonging to the global Jihad assumed responsibility for the firing of two Grad rockets at Eilat. The organization, a Salafi group called “Jamaat Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis,” has been known to operate in the Sinai Peninsula as well as the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s southernmost city has been subject to a number of missile attacks in recent years.

In April, Eilat was hit by two Grad rockets, apparently fired from the Sinai. One of the rockets fell in an open area, but the second landed in a residential area and caused light damage.

The airport in the city was closed briefly in the immediate aftermath of that attack.