Israel says shots fired from Egypt; no one injured

(AP) Israel says shots fired from Egypt; no one injured
By ARON HELLER
Associated Press
JERUSALEM

Shots fired from the Egyptian side of the border have hit a bus carrying soldiers in southern Israel, causing damage to the bus but injuring no one, the Israeli military said Sunday.

Egyptian security officials said they combed the area and denied that any shooting came from the Egyptian side. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

The shooting near the city of Eilat at Israel’s southern tip would mark the latest attack against Israel from the lawless Sinai desert. Last August, eight Israelis were killed in a shooting spree by attackers who crossed from the Egyptian side of the border.

The Sinai has become increasingly chaotic since Egypt’s longtime president, Hosni Mubarak, was toppled last year. Israel believes that al-Qaida operatives have infiltrated the area, as well as Palestinian militants who crossed over from the Gaza Strip.

Israel is building an electronic barrier along the 150 mile (230 kilometer) border to keep out attackers and African migrants.

The border area has been largely quiet in the three decades since Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement. Tensions have grown since the toppling of Mubarak and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood movement to power.

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Additional reporting by Sarah El Deeb in Cairo.