An Israeli drone strike inside Egypt in the troubled Sinai Peninsula has killed five suspected terrorists and destroyed a rocket launcher, two senior Egyptian security officials said, the Associated Press reported.
The logo of the IDF. An Israeli drone strike inside of Egypt in the troubled Sinai Peninsula has reportedly killed five suspected terrorists and destroyed a rocket launcher. Credit: IDF.

The logo of the IDF. An Israeli drone strike inside of Egypt in the troubled Sinai Peninsula has reportedly killed five suspected terrorists and destroyed a rocket launcher. Credit: IDF.

According to reports, two explosions were heard in el-Agra, which is south of Rafah, a city in northern Sinai that borders the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian military said the strike was coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), AFP reported.

The strike comes a day after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz shut down the Eilat Airport for two hours amid undisclosed security concerns. But Egyptian authorities cited by Ma’an News Agency said that terrorists in the Sinai planned to target Israel with shoulder-fired missiles.

Since Egypt’s 2011 Revolution, the Sinai Peninsula has grown increasingly lawless, with several terrorist groups operating there. Israel’s military foray into Egyptian territory may indicate a new and unprecedented sign of cooperation between Israel and the military-backed interim government of Egypt to crack down on terrorism.

Last week, the Egyptian army said it has killed 60 terrorists in the Sinai since early July, when it ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, Reuters reported.