Prime minister Netanyahu has said his country will "attack those who attack us"

A rocket attack has been launched on the Israeli city of Eilat, a seaside resort popular with Britons and the venue for the European Triathlon Championships later this month.

No one was hurt in the attack on the Red Sea hoiday spot, with the rocket believed to have been launched from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Ron Gertner, police commander for the Eilat district, told Israeli news website Haaretz.com that he believed "the rocket was fired from the Sinai area," adding that "investigations will continue in the morning, and only after their completion will we be able to reach any final conclusions."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will "attack those who attack us and their backers."

Eilat's mayor Meir Yitzhak-Halevy said the resort would carry on as normal, adding that the city had already been on high alert because of the forthcoming Passover holiday.

Following a 2010 rocket attack on Eilat, which is near the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, that killed a Jordanian and injured four others, a further eight people were killed and dozens wounded in terrorist attacks in the area last August, when missiles were fired at Israeli targets 12 miles north of the city.

Many overseas tourists are already in Eilat and the resort is preparing to welcome more than 4,000 athletes, including some from the UK, for the triathlon event which begins on 19 April.

With its year-round sunshine, Eilat has long been a favourite destination for Britons, particularly during UK winters.

The resort's appeal as a tourist attraction could soon be further enhanced after an unidentified individual offered to buy around 5,500 Titanic artefacts and display them in Eilat.