The rockets that were fired from Egypt toward Israel earlier this month were smuggled from Libya, an Israeli defense official told The Associated Press on Friday.

The official was referring to the firing of two Grad-style rockets at the Israeli resort town of Eilat, right before the Passover holiday.

Israel has said the attacks originated in the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt has denied the rockets were fired from its territory.

The Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity according, told AP that Israel believes the rockets were stolen from a Libyan weapons storehouse and smuggled into Egypt.

The official said that Libyan rockets were also smuggled into Gaza and were launched into Israel this month, adding that Israel also believes longer-range Scud missiles were smuggled from Libya to Gaza.

Last year, Israeli officials said that terror groups based in Gaza have acquired anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets from Libya. The officials said the arms were acquired during Libya’s civil war which resulted in the ouster of Muammar Qaddafi’s regime. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 04/21/12)