Militants fire rocket from Sinai into Israel: military source

Militants in Egypt's Sinai peninsula fired a rocket into southern Israel on Friday in an incident that appeared linked to fighting between Islamist insurgents and Egyptian security forces, an Israeli military source said.

"Yes, the rocket was fired from Sinai," the source said, confirming an Israeli Army Radio report that the missile was launched from the desert region bordering Israel and Gaza.

Israeli police said they had found rocket remnants in an open area. No damage or casualties resulted.

It was possible the launch was linked to the fighting in Sinai, the military source said.

Militants of the Sinai Province group, which is affiliated to Islamic State, launched their biggest assault in years against Egyptian security forces on Wednesday. Dozens of people have been killed in the past few days of clashes.

The Israeli military on Friday closed a southern highway, part of which runs along the Egyptian border, as a safety precaution.

Egyptian security sources told Reuters they were investigating the reports and said there was no immediate evidence a rocket was launched from Egyptian territory.

Militants have in the past fired rockets from Sinai into Israel.

Israel has accused Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza, of helping Islamic State in Sinai, an allegation Hamas, denies.