Pipeline has come under attack at least 11 times since fall of Mubarak; witnesses say flames seen from town in Northern Sinai.The latest blast took place in the Massaeed area west of the Mediterranean coastal town of al-Arish. Gas pumping was stopped after the kaboom.
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 kabooms 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.
| The Lord taketh away, the Lord giveth: |
| The Egyptians should enjoy their games and intermittent gas income while they can -- in a few years it will be forever out of reach. |
(Ma'an) -- Militant group Ansar al-Jihad on Sunday claimed responsibility for a blast on a gas pipeline running from Egypt to Israel hours earlier, citing retaliation for the death in Egyptian custody of the group's leader the day before.
Muhammad Eid Musleh Hamad, also known as Muhammad Tihi, died on Saturday in his prison cell in Cairo.
| Cutting off the Juices being the logical response to that. |
The group also attacked Nakhl police station in central Sinai, a Ma'an correspondent said. The same station was hit by rocket propelled grenades last Thursday.
Egypt doubled the gas price for Jordan in October. Jordan said on Monday it would raise electricity prices as of February to cover the rising burden of imported fuel costs after loss of regular Egyptian gas supplies.