Israel Matzav

Egyptian airstrikes kill 20 terrorists in Sinai

Have the Egyptians finally decided that enough is enough? Egyptian airstrikes killed 20 terrorists in Sinai on Wednesday, in the largest Egyptian airstrike in Sinai since the Yom Kippur war.

The air strikes on positions in the town of Sheikh Zouaid followed the deaths of 16 border guards last Sunday in an attack blamed partly on Palestinian terrorists.

Witnesses in Sheikh Zouaid, about 10 km (six miles) from Gaza, said they saw two military jets and heard sounds of explosions. Other witnesses in a nearby area said they saw three cars hit.

The strikes followed clashes between armed men and security forces at several security checkpoints in the Sinai region.

Armed men opened fire on several checkpoints in el-Arish and in the nearby town of Rafah on the border with Israel, according to a Reuters reporter and state media.

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In reaction to Sunday's attacks, Egypt began to seal off smuggling tunnels into the Gaza Strip, a security source said.

A Reuters reporter in Rafah said heavy equipment was brought to the Egyptian side of the tunnels, which are used to smuggle people to and from Gaza as well as scarce food and fuel for the small territory's population.

Israel Radio reports that the Egyptian army has also carried out ground attacks, and that it is being assisted by members of the local population who are identifying the terrorists.

Labels: Arab terrorism, Egypt, Sinai

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:50 AM