The Wall Street Journal Egyptian Army Says It Killed 59 Militants in Sinai Peninsula Egypt's army, facing a jump in attacks by extremists who claim allegiance to Islamic State, said it had killed 59 Islamist militants over the weekend as part of a continuing campaign in the restive Sinai Peninsula. The ground operations and airstrikes carried out in 14 districts demolished two warehouses used to store explosive elements and led to the capture of four armed fighters, an army spokesperson said. Seven Egyptian soldiers died. Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/egyptian-army-says-it-killed-59-militants-in-sinai-peninsula-1437331133 The Jerusalem Post ISIS releases dramatic footage of attack on Egyptian naval vessel ISIS has released dramatic footage of Thursday's attack on an Egyptian naval vessel in the Mediterranean sea, near the coast of Israel and the Gaza strip. The Egyptian military reported that a coastguard launch had exchanged shots with "terrorist elements," causing the vessel to catch fire, however there were no casualties. Such incidents at sea are rare, though Egypt is battling an increasingly brazen Islamist insurgency in the peninsula that lies between Israel, the Gaza Strip and the Suez Canal. Read more: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/ISIS-Threat/ISIS-releases-dramatic-footage-of-attack-on-Egyptian-naval-vessel-latest-attacks-leave-5-dead-409441 Haaretz Netanyahu seeks to loosen gas exports quota to ensure Egypt deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to ease the ceiling on Israel's natural gas exports, to ensure that the Noble Energy/Delek Group cartel can supply to a European liquefied natural gas plant based in Egypt. The changes may endanger Israel's energy security. Netanyahu lobbied hard for the ceiling approved by the cabinet in 2013, which limited exports to 40% of all Israel's gas reserves. He defeated social activists and ministers who wanted a lower export quota, and recruited then-Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fischer to his side and won over the cabinet. "We've arrived at the proper balance," Netanyahu said at the time. Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/business/.premium-1.666825 Euro News ISIL affiliate claims attack on Egypt military in Sinai A group linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State organization has claimed it carried out attacks in Egypt's Sinai region which killed five members of the security forces on Saturday. Several mortar rounds hit two military checkpoints near the northern town of Sheikh Zuweid. North Sinai is the epicenter of an insurgency by militants supporting ISIL. Read more: http://www.euronews.com/2015/07/19/isil-affiliate-claims-attack-on-egypt-military-in-sinai/
