Islamic State threatens to shell southern Israel 'in the coming days'

A Sinai Peninsula-based group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State is threatening to shell the port of the southern Israeli city of Eilat “in the coming days.”

The Islamist group Vilayet Sinai (Sinai Province), formerly Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, recently became part of the radical Salafi movement Islamic State.

According to Egyptian media reports, Wilayat Sinai has coordinated the upcoming attack with the wing of the Islamic State in the Gaza Strip.

“The Islamic State will begin the operation with attacks on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip,” Egyptian media quote the group’s statement.

The leader of Wilayat Sinai, known as Abu Othman al-Mosli, posted on the group's Facebook page an appeal to its members to "recruit new members from jihadist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood movement in other provinces of Egypt."

He also called for action against Egyptian security forces and an advance towards the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas's paramilitary wing, the Izzaddin al-Qassam Brigades, and seize control of the enclave.