Explosion Rocks Jordan's Gulf of Aqaba
The AP is now reporting that the explosion in the Gulf of Aqaba was actually a mortar fired from within Jordan at an American Naval vessel docked at port. Two ships have left the port and assumed battle stations off the Jordanian coast.
In what is said to have been a connected attack, the Israeli Defense Minister is also reporting multiple explosions from mortars fired into southern Israel. It's being reported that both Israel and Jordan have come under fire from several mortars. Multiple explosions were said to be heard in two towns in southern Israel.
Update: The mortar fired at the Port of Aqaba is said to have sailed over the bow of the USS Ashland and landed on the roof of a nearby warehouse. Early reports from Naval authorities state no US naval personnel were injured in the blast.
The blasts in Jordan and Israel were targeted at two towns each in both nations located in close proximity in the south.
Israel defense minister now saying a number of rockets were fired into Israel and Jordan. Navy saying details are sketchy. An Akusha rocket was fired toward a resort town in Israel but did not explode. The second US Navy vessel is noew said to be the USS Kearsarge. or here
"At approximately 8:44 a.m. local time a suspected mortar rocket flew over the USS Ashland over the bow and impacted a warehouse on the pier in the vicinity of the Ashland and the USS Kearsarge, which were in port," said Lt. Cdr. Charlie Brown of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.
"I can confirm that a rocket flew over the bow of USS Ashland and the rocket impacted in the roof of a warehouse.
No sailors or marines were injured," said Commander Jeff Breslau of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Jordanian Interior Minister Awni Yarfas said the rocket caused little damage to the warehouse and no casualties.
"Security forces are investigating the source of the explosion. It was a very weak incident and there was no damage whatsoever," he told Reuters.
More on the attacks in Israel and Jordan:
Israeli police and witnesses said a Katyusha rocket fired from Jordan fell on the outskirts of the nearby airport of Israel's Red Sea resort of Eilat, but did not explode.
Aqaba and Eilat are about 10 miles apart and located on either side of the Jordan-Israeli border at the northern end of the Red Sea close to the Sinai Peninsula.
Update: More info coming in.
The attacks were believed to have been caused by Katyusha rockets fired from a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Aqaba, a Jordanian Red Sea port 210 miles south of the capital, Amman, officials added.
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Dan,
I am not surprized at all. There are too many factions who do NOT want Isreal to possess ANY land and who hate ANY attempts, especially by US, to keep Isreal alive at all!
Posted by: AkekoaHoAlethia | Friday, August 19, 2005 at 05:14 AM
Dan, thank you for these reports. Not sure why but for two weeks our cable goes in and out, in and out during the day. I heard this "breaking news" and the cable went out.
Ooops, just came up and they are saying al Qaeda is taking "credit" for it.
No further comment. Just grit my teeth and agree with AkeKoa.
Posted by: proudredneck | Friday, August 19, 2005 at 12:17 PM
Akeko is correct.
Posted by: oldtimer | Friday, August 19, 2005 at 12:58 PM