The Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis militant group claimed responsibility for three rockets it said it fired at Israel earlier on Friday.
Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army spokesman for Arabic media said a rocket was fired at Israel from Sinai, on his Facebook page. The rocket did not cause any damages or injuries, Israeli radio reported.
The rockets were fired in response to Israel’s “recurring crimes”, Ansar said, the last of which being their support to Egypt’s armed forces during a string of attacks carried out by the group in North Sinai on Wednesday.
The group, which changed its name to Sinai Province last November after pledging allegiance to Islamic State fighters, made the announcement late Friday in a statement published on twitter accounts affiliated with the group. Aswat Masriya could not independently verify the authenticity of the statement.
Ansar conducted a string of attacks on a number of security checkpoints and a police station in the Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid on Wednesday, in a failed attempt to take over the town.
The attacks claimed the lives of 17 army personnel and injured 13, according to military figures. The military said it killed no less than 100 suspected militants on that day.
Israeli Major-General Yoav Mordechai told the Qatari news network Al Jazeera that there is “confirmed information” that Gaza’s ruling body Hamas has assisted militants in carrying out Wednesday’s attack.
He added that Hamas provides militants affiliated with Islamic State fighters in Sinai with administrative support and arms.
Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri denied to Reuters the accusations.
“Security services in Gaza control the borders and prevent any movement into and from Gaza through the borders. Such a silly Israeli incitement will not fool anyone,” he told Reuters.