THREE explosions last night rocked the Egyptian resort city of Dahab at the height of the tourist season, killing at least 22 people and wounding more than 150 at one hotel.

The attackers struck a day after al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden issued a taped warning that Western citizens had become legitimate targets because of their support of governments he said were conducting a crusader war against Islam.

Police said the blasts hit the centre of the city where there are many shops, restaurants, bars and guesthouses.

The blasts ripped through the town shortly after nightfall when the streets would have been full of holidaymakers.

Thomson Holidays, the UK's biggest tour operator, has 43 UK holidaymakers in Dahab.

Spokeswoman Kimberley Kay said they were staying at either the Iberotel or the Hilton.

She said: "We do not have anyone staying at the el-Khaleeg hotel, which appears to have suffered the worst."

She added: "As far as we know, the Iberotel and the Hilton were not affected by the explosions.

"Our reps are on their way to the hotels to check on our clients, but they have been held up by the security that has been thrown around the area."

Terrorist attacks have killed nearly 100 people at several tourist resorts in the Sinai region in the past two years.

Bombings in the resorts of Taba and Ras Shitan, near the Israeli border, killed 34 people in October 2004. Suicide attackers in July in the resort of Sharm el Sheikh killed at least 64 people, mainly tourists.

The Egyptian government has said the militants who carried out the bombings were locals without international connections, but other security agencies have said they suspect al Qaida.

This is high tourist season in the region, and hotels all along the Egyptian coasts could be expected to be at near capacity, mainly with Europeans, Israelis and expatriates living in Egypt.