The Israeli government took the rare step of closing down the Taba border crossing to Egypt on Monday, the day before Pesach, following intelligence of an imminent attack by the Sinai branch of Daesh against Israeli holidaymakers.

While travel warnings of possible attacks by the government's Counter-terrorism Bureau have been routine for years now, preventing Israelis from crossing over is almost unprecedented. 

Despite the warnings, in the days leading to Pesach, thousands of Israelis crossed over for the holiday to Sinai. On Monday morning, following the attacks in Egypt carried out by Daesh against Coptic churches on Palm Sunday in which at least 30 people were killed, the government decided the situation was too dangerous to allow more to pass through.

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau also called on Israelis already in Sinai to return as soon as possible. The crossing is to remain closed until further notice and is unlikely to open before the end of Pesach week on April 18.

Less than an hour after the closure announcement, a missile was fired from within Sinai, landing in an open area in the Northern Negev without causing damage or casualties. The IDF believe it was also fired by the Daesh Sinai.