Islamic State claims sabotage attack on Egypt’s gas pipeline to Israel
Egypt's military said it was a "limited explosion."
Egypt’s military said a “limited explosion” struck a gas pipeline in North Sinai on Thursday, an incident for which the Islamic State’s local branch has claimed credit.
The explosion took place near the town of el-Arish, in an area of the Sinai Peninsula that has continues to face an Islamist insurgency, despite the Egyptian military’s often brutal efforts in recent years to rout the fighters.
IS has not published evidence of its claims of responsibility for the explosion. A release by the group said its fighters had detonated improvised explosive devices along Egypt’s natural gas pipeline to Israel, causing “great material damage” to the line.
The extent of the damage was not immediately clear. Egyptian authorities reported the resulting fire has been extinguished.
