A rocket allegedly fired from Sinai into Eilat and a new bombing of the peninsula's gas pipeline may cause Egypt to launch a new operation in Sinai, reports Amirah Ibrahim Egypt's military has reportedly sent special operations forces into the Sinai peninsula in the search for those responsible for another bombing of the gas pipeline to Israel on Monday, the announcement following claims by Israel that a Grad rocket allegedly fired from Sinai had landed in the southern Israeli city of Eilat the night before without causing injuries. Security officials in Israel said that the rocket had been fired from Sinai, and soon after threats began appearing in the Israeli media about "chasing terrorists" in Sinai. Israel claims that the peninsula is a launching pad for rocket strikes against it, something that Egypt has strenuously denied. Meanwhile, Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has revealed plans to conduct two military maneuvers in the peninsula over the coming two weeks. "The Third Army will engage in the final stage of exercises on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal on 18 April, while the Second Army will take part in exercises in northern Sinai on 22-23 April," said Major-General Ibrahim Nosohi, head of armed forces training and a member of the SCAF. "The exercises are not directed against anybody and come within the annual framework of regular training," he said. Egypt had "no problem with any neighbouring country," Nosohi said. "We have no problem with deploying troops in Sinai for the exercises," he said in answer to a question from Al-Ahram Weekly about whether the current tensions in Sinai could be an obstacle to the exercises. Militants blew up the gas pipeline that transports gas to Israel and Jordan from Egypt on Monday, the 14th attack on it since the 25 January Revolution that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak last year. The pipeline had been closed since a similar attack on 5 February. The previous bombings were blamed on Islamist militants who have stepped up their activities in Sinai following last year's Revolution. However, no single group has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Egypt supplies Israel with more than 40 per cent of the natural gas it needs to produce electricity, and electricity prices have risen by more than 20 per cent in Israel since the attacks began. Head of security in northern Sinai Saleh El-Masri said that the interior ministry would send an armoured police brigade to guard the area and maintain security, indicating that the current number of policemen "was not enough to control the vast desert region." Israel has denied reports that is has approved the deployment of more troops by the Egyptian army into Sinai. The 1979 peace accord between Egypt and Israel restricted Egyptian troop numbers deployed in the border section of Sinai without Israel's prior consent, meaning that security in the area is in the hands of lightly armed police and border guards. Last summer, due to growing terrorist activities in Sinai the Egyptian army deployed an additional 2,000 soldiers to carry out operations against terrorist groups in the peninsula. Islamists had previously launched a series of attacks against police units and even announced the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Sinai. As a result of this situation, the SCAF ordered Operation Golden Eagle, which lasted for two months, to begin in the peninsula, the operation resulting in improvements in security in Sinai, particularly since the government also opened negotiating channels with Bedouin in the peninsula. Dozens of Bedouin held in prison were freed, and retrials were ordered for hundreds more sentenced to prison under the Mubarak regime. Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzouri, accompanied by a number of cabinet ministers, also visited the Sinai, meeting with tribal sheikhs to try to sort out the problems facing the local population, including the 60 per cent unemployment rate among the Bedouin. Israel claims that Sinai has been unprotected since the fall of the Mubarak regime, and that the Islamist group Hamas has been cooperating with local Bedouin. According to an Egyptian military source, the commanders of the Third and Second Army have launched meetings with the sheikhs of Sinai tribes, with a view to designing a common strategy to fight terrorist groups. Egypt stood ready to defend Sinai against any threats, whether internal or external, he said. Meanwhile, reports in the media have highlighted fears of an Israeli military operation in Sinai to stop alleged attacks from it on its cities. Egyptian government spokesman have said that the reports are unfounded, adding that Israel is unlikely to want to cause another crisis with Egypt similar to that which unfolded last summer. In August 2011, an armed group attacked Israeli holidaymakers near Eilat, killing eight people. Israel claimed the attackers had crossed the border into Israel from Sinai, then ordering its troops into Sinai, killing two Egyptian soldiers and an Egyptian officer. Demonstrators surrounded the Israeli embassy in Cairo, and even succeeded in climbing the 11-storey building to take down the Israeli flag. The incident developed into a diplomatic crisis, only ending with an official apology by the Israeli government. Egyptian military observers say that the present crisis has been created by Israel to distract the attention of the international community from Israeli violations of Islamic holy buildings in Jerusalem. "It is camouflage for their illegal practices against the Palestinians, as well as for the occupation," said retired general Abdel-Moneim Kato. "Look how Israel leaks material, and then puts up officials to deny it. We should not be deceived by such ploys, but should instead look into the aims behind them."
