Egyptian helicopter strike kills 12 militants

Egyptian helicopters have fired on a meeting of suspected militants in the Sinai Peninsula, killing at least 12 people as authorities stepped up their attacks following an Israeli drone strike in the region.

The helicopter attack came as Egyptian and Israeli officials tried to downplay the drone strike on Friday in the largely lawless Sinai, fearing popular criticism in a country already in turmoil after last month’s military coup that ousted President Mohammed Morsi.

Egyptian officials said three helicopters targeted militants in the desert town of Sheik Zuweyid late on Saturday. They said another dozen were wounded in the attack.

A military spokesman said 25 militants were targeted. The militants targeted in the air assault were wanted for an attack on Egyptian soldiers last year that killed 16. They were also wanted in connection to the abduction of seven security forces earlier this year, he said.

Egypt’s military and security forces have been engaged in a long battle against militants in the northern half of the peninsula. Militants and tribesmen have used the area for smuggling and other criminal activity for years. Militants have fired rockets into Israel and staged other cross-border attacks there on previous occasions.

Attacks against security personnel have intensified in the region following the popularly supported July 3 coup that ousted Mr Morsi.

On Friday, Egyptian security officials said that a drone firing from the Israeli side of the border had killed five suspected militants preparing to fire rockets at Israel. The site of the strike was about five kilometres (three miles) inside Egypt.

Israel has maintained official silence about the strike, likely out of concerns about exposing Egypt’s military to domestic public backlash. Egypt’s government celebrates its battles fought against Israel over Sinai. Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979, but many still view the Jewish state with suspicion.

In a statement on Saturday night, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said his country “appreciated” unspecified actions taken by Egypt against militants over the weekend. However, Yaalon did not deny Israel launched a drone attack targeting militants inside of Egypt.