An ISIS affiliate claimed responsibility for a missile attack the previous day that targeted an airport in Egypt's northern Sinai Peninsula during an unpublicized visit to the facility by the defense and interior ministers.
In a brief statement circulated on jihadi websites, the group said the intended target of the "guided" missile it fired at the el-Arish airport was the two ministers, and that the projectile struck an Apache helicopter that was part of their entourage, ABC news reported.
Earlier Wednesday, security officials said Egyptian forces clashed with Islamic militants near the el-Arish airport. Five militants and an army captain were killed in the fighting.
Defense Minister Sedki Sobhy and Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar were in el-Arish on an unannounced visit when Tuesday's attack took place, according to a brief military statement.
