MOMBASA, Kenya - Fifteen people died in a suicide bomb attack Thursday on a hotel crowded with Israeli tourists in the Kenyan resort of Mombasa, while an Israeli jetliner narrowly escaped a simultaneous missile attack.

Kenya said the culprits may be linked to Al-Qaeda, the Islamic extremist network behind the devastating attack on the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi four years ago.

A vehicle carrying three people burst through a barrier around the Paradise Mombasa Hotel on the Indian Ocean coast and rammed through the front entrance, exploding in the lobby, witnesses said.

At almost the same time, a charter plane of Israel's Arkia Airlines carrying 261 passengers came under attack from two missiles as it took off from Mombasa. They narrowly missed.

Kenyan police said nine Africans and three Israelis, including two children, died in the hotel attack on the eve of Hanukkah, a major Jewish holiday. The three attackers died instantly.

The explosion, at around 8:25 A.M. (0525 GMT) in the town of Kikambala north of Mombasa city limits, was so intense that part of the hotel roof collapsed.

The head of Kenya's tourist board Rayumond Matiba said the carnage could have been even worse if the attackers had arrived minutes earlier.

Police said they had recovered a missile launcher and casings of exploded missiles used in the attack on the plane.

They were looking for a white vehicle and its occupants seen near the airport.

After landing the targeted Arkia Boeing 757 in Tel Aviv, pilot Rafi Marek said he "felt a slight bump" shortly after take-off in Mombasa and then "saw two white stripes" beside the aircraft.

Suspicion is focused on Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, blamed for a similar car-bomb attack on the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in 1998, killing 213 and injuring some 5,000.

"You can't rule out the group that struck at us in 1998," Vice President Musalia Mudavadi said.

Al-Qaeda has a long history of operations in East Africa and the obvious targeting of Israeli citizens in a country known for its idyllic tourist spots is consistent with recent speculation of further extremist acts.

Kenyan police said they were holding a dozen people on Friday over the incidents after Israel vowed to hunt down all those behind the blast.

A man and woman detained had used U.S. passports and said they were from Florida, the manager of a hotel where they stayed told Reuters. Police said they were hunting others of Arab appearance.

By Friday, 12 people were being held. Police said at least three were foreigners.