A pipeline that carries gas from Egypt to Israel was attacked for the fifth time in the past six months.
The July 30 attack on the natural gas pipeline was the third in the last month. The targeted pipeline, which was already shut down from a July 11 attack, serves Israel exclusively and will not affect the delivery of natural gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Gunmen reportedly shot rocket-propelled grenades at the Al Shuluq terminal in northern Sinai, the first time the terminal has been targeted. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack came a day after clashes between security forces and masked gunmen outside a police station in the nearby town of Al Arish, in which five people were killed.
Egypt supplies Israel with more than 40 percent of its natural gas needs to produce electricity. Due in part to the shortage of natural gas, electricity prices in Israel are slated to increase by 18 percent. — jta