Egypt says 25 militants killed in air strikes as Sisi inspects troops

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) greets members of the Egyptian armed forces, after travelling to the troubled northern part of the Sinai peninsula to inspect troops, in this July 4, 2015 handout picture courtesy of the Egyptian Presidency. REUTERS/The Egyptian Presidency/Handout via Reuters

ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egyptian warplanes killed 25 Islamist militants in North Sinai on Saturday, security sources said, as the Egyptian president visited the province after a major escalation of the conflict there.

The sources said the air strikes hit militant targets near the town of Sheikh Zuweid, destroying weapons and explosives caches.