Egyptian helicopters strike militants in Sinai

An Egyptian security official says helicopters have rocketed militant hideouts in the northern Sinai Peninsula.

The official said the two helicopter gunships fired 13 rockets after surprising militant gatherings on Tuesday in two locations, al-Muqataa and Touma, south of the town of Sheikh Zuweyid near the border with Gaza. He said "dozens" of militants were killed and wounded but that fighting was still ongoing. He did not mention if there were yet any soldiers on the ground to assess the number of casualties. (AP)