Egyptian authorities have identified three of the people responsible for carrying out a terrorist attack in Israel, just north of Eilat, on Thursday, in which seven Israelis were killed, according to an Egyptian security source.

The same source added that one of the men identified is a leader of terrorist cells in Sinai, while another is a fugitive who owns an ammunition factory.

The source also gave details of an attack by Israeli security forces that left three Egyptians dead on Thursday. One army officer and two police officers were killed when an Israeli helicopter crossed the Egyptian border at mark no. 79, fired two missiles and then hovered over the Egyptian checkpoint, firing its machine guns, said the source.

According to an Egyptian army officer quoted by Reuters on Thursday, the Israeli aircraft was chasing men identified as illegal infiltrators into Israel when it opened fire on them, accidentally killing the Egyptian border guards.

The Israeli action was reported to be part of an attempt by the Israelis to kill the men responsible for the terrorist attack close to Eilat earlier in the day.

Translated from the Arabic Edition