An Israeli Air Force drone reportedly struck a jihadist rocket launcher in the Sinai Peninsula near the Israeli-Egyptian border, killing at least five suspected terrorists who were planning to launch shoulder-fired missile at Israel, Egyptian military sources told Palestinian news agency Ma'an on Friday.Al Ahram adds that "sources say that the air attack was in coordination with the Egyptian authorities."
Ma'an reported that a large explosion was heard on Friday afternoon in Rafah, near the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
An IDF spokesman said the army does not comment on reports published in the foreign media.
On Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz ordered to close the Eilat Airport for two hours.
On Friday, Ma'an quoted an Egyptian security source as saying the IDF's decision to close the air[port] was a precautionary measure taken by Israel based on Egyptian intelligence that terrorists in Sinai planned to target the Jewish state with missiles.
The IDF instructed the Israel Airports Authority to close down the airport in the southern city which borders Egypt due to a "security assessment." The IDF did not release any specific details on the security reasons which prompted the closure.
According to the Egyptian official cited by Ma'an, Salafi terrorists in Sinai planned to target Israel with shoulder-launched missiles with a range of 70 km, which would put them in well in range of the airspace over Eilat Airport.
Al Arabiya is quoted as saying that the IDF aircraft/drones were in the skies for a while before the explosion, and that the jihadists intended to shoot rockets at Israel.
Arab critics of Egypt's interim government will have a field day with this, saying that this is proof that the Egyptian leaders are Zionist.
UPDATE: Egypt denies Israel was involved. Which it would do whether it happened or not.