Cairo, Egypt - Another overnight attack on a pipeline taking gas from Egypt to Israel and Jordan left one person injured, PANA reported from here Tuesday. Witnesses and Egyptian security sources said Tuesday about three gunmen in a van opened fire on a gas installation before an explosion hit the pipeline near the town of al-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, near the border with Israel.

It was the sixth such attack on the pipeline since Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak was toppled by a popular revolt in February.

Army experts have also located and defused a number of other devices targeting the pipeline.

Previous attacks have disrupted gas delivery to both countries several times and Tuesday's attack halted the pumping of gas to homes and factories in northern Sinai.

Egypt has stepped up its police and army patrols in the Sinai to protect the pipeline.

The latest blast came against the background of recent rising border and political tension between Egypt and Israel.

Egypt is in the process of reviewing all its gas contracts with Israel signed under the ousted Mubarak, with many former oil officials, businessmen and Mubrak himself accused of corruption in relation to gas deals with Israel.

Pana 28/09/2011