IS missile hits Egyptian ship near Sinai

CAIRO, July 16 (UPI) -- An Egyptian naval vessel suffered a rocket attack by the Islamic State's forces in the Sinai Peninsula on Thursday.

Egyptian military spokesman Mohammed Samir said the ship caught fire, but did not offer details regarding the fate of its crew. Security officials said some of the crew suffered burns, and putting out the fire has taken three hours.

The ship, a frigate, was routinely used to patrol Egyptian territorial water and has been used to ferry officials and police from the Sinai Peninsula to mainland Egypt.

The IS took responsibility for the attack, which followed an exchange of gunfire, the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group reported. The Sinai branch of the IS claimed the ship was struck by a guided missile.

The peninsula has become a holding area for anti-government militias, including that of IS.

The Egyptian government said Wednesday it foiled an attempted attack on a Sinai military post, when the driver of a car carrying 1,100 pounds of dynamite refused to stop at a checkpoint. The driver was killed in a shootout with soldiers.

In a July 1 incident on the peninsula, the military killed at least 17 IS militants.

The IS also claimed responsibility for a bomb that killed one person last week in front of the Italian Consulate in Cairo.