Unknown attackers have exploded a pipeline in Egypt's El-Arish area of north Sinai pumping natural gas to Israhell amid revolution protests against the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Citing an Egyptian official, State TV said on Saturday that the “situation is very dangerous and explosions were continuing from one spot to another” along the pipeline. “It is a big terrorist operation”, the TV said. According to a source, the Egyptian armed forces “managed to close the main source of flow and are trying to control the fires”. Residents in El-Arish area reported a huge explosion with flames climbing about twenty meters into the sky. Rescue forces and ambulances have been deployed to the site and an investigation has been launched into the incident, reports say. No groups or individuals have claimed responsibility of the attack yet.
Egypt supplies 40% of Israhell's natural gas demand based on a deal reached between Cairo and Tel Aviv after the 1979 peace accord. Israhell's National Infrastructure Ministry said it was looking into the incident. In December, Israhell signed 20-year contracts with Egypt worth more than 10 billion dollars (7.4 billion euros) to import the Egyptian natural gas. "We again realise that the Middle East is not a stable region. We must act to ensure our energy security without relying on others", a spokesman for Israhell's National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau warned on Tuesday after millions of Egyptian protesters demanded an end to Mubarak's 30-year rule.
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