Islamic State claims responsibility for Israel-Egypt gas pipeline explosion

The Islamic State terrorist organization is claiming responsibility for sabotaging a gas pipeline between Egypt and Israel that reportedly exploded earlier Thursday. 

The statement was released on a Telegram app channel, according to Reuters. 

Three witnesses told Reuters that a blast hit the Al Arish-Al Qantara natural gas pipeline in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday. 

Plumes of smoke and fire could be seen from in and around the city of al-Arish, where the witnesses were located.

The scale of the damage was not immediately clear. Egyptian authorities did not respond to requests for comment. 

An Israeli Energy Ministry official told local media, however, that no damage was caused to the pipeline.