Israel army says troops reinforced at south borders

Israel's army chief ordered extra troops to borders with Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, citing a "concrete warning" of an impending attack by Islamic Jihad, a statement said. Israeli Chief of the General Staff Benny Gantz made the decision in coordination with Egypt, according to an Israeli army statement. Members of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group are in Sinai planning an attack on Israel, Haaretz reported Monday, citing security sources. Islamic Jihad said it had agreed to a ceasefire deal with Israel on Friday after a previous truce broke down when Israeli forces killed two Islamic Jihad militants, and the faction launched projectiles across the border. Violence had renewed after a series of deadly ambushes near the southern Israeli city of Eilat on August 18, which Israel blamed on Gaza factions. Israeli forces pursued attackers over the southern border into Egypt's Sinai region, killing five Egyptian troops, and prompting a diplomatic crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday Israel would consider Egyptian requests for additional forces in the peninsula, currently limited by the terms of the 1979 peace accord between the countries. Defense Minister Ehud Barak had said earlier that "several" requests had already been approved since the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak in February.