Reuters reported that an explosion hit a gas pipeline running from Egypt to Israel on Sunday. The pipeline which also supplies gas to Jordan has come under attack at least 12 times since Egyptian president Mr Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011.

The latest blast took place in the Massaeed area west of the Mediterranean coastal town of al Arish. Gas pumping was stopped after the explosion.

Residents in al Arish said that they could see flames from their town. Security forces and fire trucks raced to the scene. Security in Sinai loosened after Mubarak's fall as the police presence thinned out across Egypt.

Egypt's 20 year gas deal with Israel signed in the Mubarak era is unpopular with some Egyptians with critics accusing Israel of not paying enough for the gas.

Previous explosions have sometimes led to weeks-long shutdowns along the pipeline run by Egypt's gas transport company Gasco a subsidiary of the national gas company EGAS.

Egypt said in November it would tighten security measures along the pipeline by installing alarm devices and recruiting security patrols from Bedouin tribesmen in the area.

(Sourced from Reuters)