Seven militants were killed by the armed forces in a pre-emptive strike in North Sinai to thwart a "terrorist attack", according to a statement by the Egyptian army spokesman Wednesday morning.

Seven militants were killed by the armed forces in a pre-emptive strike in North Sinai to thwart a "terrorist attack", according to a statement by the Egyptian army spokesman Wednesday morning.

Earlier on Wednesday, an explosion occurred in Al-Arish killing a police officer and injuring three conscripts. The explosion resulted in damaging neighboring houses and shops, local Daily News website reported.

According to the armed forces statement, the military received information that "terrorist elements" were transferring weapons from Rafah to Sheikh Zuweid in preparation of an attack against security forces.

The strike comes within a day from bombing of the house of a police officer and setting two others ablaze earlier on Tuesday. These attacks left no casualties.

Earlier this week, a similar bomb attack targeting a police officer’s house left seven civilians severely injured.

Security personnel located in North Sinai have been intensively targeted since the ouster of former president Mohammad Mursi in July 2013.

Islamic State affiliate “State of Sinai”, formerly known as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, is the dominant militant group operating in the restive peninsula.