Iron Dome shoots down one of two rockets fired at Eilat

The Iron Dome missile defense system shot down at least one of two Grad rockets fired at Eilat from the Sinai Peninsula on Friday evening.

Warning sirens were heard throughout parts of the Red Sea resort city, and then residents reported hearing two explosions. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

An Iron Dome battery had been placed near Eilat in July, and was on alert after two rockets were fired at the city last Monday.

An al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group that operates in the Sinai and Gaza, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack.

The group said in a statement that the rocket attack was prompted by “the cooperation between Egypt and Israel and the bombing of Gaza residents.”

Israel launched airstrikes against targets in the Gaza Strip early Friday morning in retaliation for a rocket fired at the southern city of Netivot. 

“Nothing will stop us from our objective of fighting you and hurting you,” the Sinai-based terror group said.