Egyptian missiles hits Israel, IDF accuses the Muslim Brotherhood

Two Grad 122mm rockets, apparently fired from Egypt have hit Southern Israel, without causing any human casualties.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) accused the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood for the attacks, which were promptly denied by the organization. The attacks came even as the Egyptians are taking part in the final round of the presidential election, in which the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Morsy is contesting, along with the Mubarak-aide, Ahmed Shafik.

The IDF officials claimed that both the missiles were fired from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, allegedly by the Bedouins there, who were armed by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. So far the Egyptian military officials have refused to comment on the incident, and seem to be more worried about the peaceful conduct of the election, rather than bothering about the rocket attacks.

One of the missiles hit the town of Mitzpe Ramon, a settlement located in the Negev desert, having a population of less than 5,000 people. Although the town lies just 15 miles to the east of the Egyptian border, this is the first time that a rocket attack is occurring there. The second attack occurred near the Ovda Airport, located some 60 km north of the resort town of Eilat. The airfield is just 12 miles away from the Egyptian border.

Mohamed Morsy, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood is all set to win the Egyptian presidential elections, as he is leading in almost all the exit and opinion polls published by the Egyptian media. However, Shafik is banking on the support from urban-dwelling secular Egyptians and that from the minority Coptic Christians.

One IDF official expressed his concern over the possibility of the Muslim Brotherhood candidate becoming the Egyptian president. He warned the Israeli authorities to prepare for a severe escalation of the security situation along the Sinai border, and claimed that the latest rocket attacks are just a warning for what to come next. Meanwhile the Hamas spokesperson announced in Gaza that his organization doesn’t have anything to do with the latest attacks.