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© Agence France-PresseEgyptian demonstrators throw stones at police early outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo
Israel's ambassador to Egypt has been evacuated after hundreds of protesters stormed the embassy in Cairo.

The US voiced concern about the violence after protesters burned the Israeli flag and threw embassy documents from windows of the building.

Protesters lit tyres in the street and at least two vehicles were set alight near the embassy, located on the upper floors of a residential apartment block overlooking the Nile.

As dawn broke, about 500 demonstrators remained and a few threw stones at police and army vehicles and personnel. But police gradually pushed them further away and secured the area.

It was the second big eruption of violence at the embassy since five Egyptian border guards were killed last month during an Israeli operation against gunmen.

Egypt put its police force on a state of alert after the night of violence.

The state news agency said 448 people were injured in clashes between thousands of protesters and police, who fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Forty-six policemen were also hurt and 17 protesters were arrested.

On Saturday the interior ministry ordered all officers back on duty and cancelled holidays.

The rampage further worsened already deteriorating ties between Israel and post-Hosni Mubarak Egypt.