Egyptian pipeline sending gas to Israel, Jordan hit by blasts

PanARMENIAN.Net - An Egyptian pipeline sending gas to Israel and Jordan was hit by two explosions early Thursday, November 10, Egypt's security services and the official news agency said.

A first blast occurred around 1:00 am (2300 GMT Wednesday) 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the town of al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, a security source said.

A second unexplained explosion took place near a pumping station in the same sector, the official news agency MENA said, adding that the army was deploying in the region.

The pipeline, which carries gas through the Sinai and on to Jordan and Israel, had already been attacked six times since former president Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February.

Witnesses said they had seen armed men at the scene of the first blast, the security source said. He did not know if there had been any victims.

MENA, also quoting witnesses, said a blaze could be seen after the explosion, AFP reported.

Previous attacks have disrupted gas deliveries to both destination countries several times, but it was not immediately clear what impact the latest incidents would have.

Israel generates 40 percent of its electricity using natural gas, and Egypt provides 43 percent of its supplies of the material. Egyptian gas also covers 80 percent of Jordan's electricity production demand - 6.8 million cubic meters a day.

Egypt's Sinai region is particularly security sensitive due to tensions with the Bedouin community living there. Many goods are smuggled to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza through Sinai, which the Israelis also charge is a rear base for militant attacks against its territory.