ISRAEL’S Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that Israel would “do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves” after a report that its military had carried out dozens of secret air strikes against jihadists in Egypt’s Sinai.

Mr Netanyahu did not address the New York Times report published on Saturday, commenting only generally on Israel’s stance.

Israel’s military also declined to comment.

The report, citing current and former US and British officials, said Israeli forces had carried out more than 100 air strikes in Egypt over the course of more than two years — and all with the approval of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Using unmarked drones, helicopters and jets, the strikes in northern Sinai just over the border with Israel have targeted jihadists linked with the Islamic State group, the report said.

Islamist militants have been active in the Sinai since 2013, killing at least 1,000 Egyptian security forces personnel. Jihadists have launched fierce attacks on civilians, and in 2015 carried out a startling attack on a Russian charter jet which exploded midair over the desert in Northern Egypt killing all 224 passengers on-board. In November 2017, the al-Rawda Sufi mosque in the Northern Sinai was attacked by 40 gunmen during prayers. The attack killed 311 people and injured at least 122, making it the deadliest attack in Egyptian history. Survivors said the attackers brandished Islamic State flags.

Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting, Mr Netanyahu referred to recent meetings with US president Donald Trump, European leaders and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

“As I also made it clear to President Trump and afterwards to European leaders and President Putin, our presence here is the main element in the Middle East blocking the spread of radical Islam, led by Iran and Islamic State, which also threaten all other elements in the world,” he said.

“We are not bent on war, but we will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves,” said Mr Netanyahu.

While IS-linked militants have waged a deadly insurgency in the Sinai against Egyptian security forces, Israeli officials have watched the violence with concern.

Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab nations with peace treaties with Israel, but relations remain sensitive due to hostility toward the Jewish state among their populations.

While there have long been suggestions of behind-the-scenes military and intelligence co-operation between Egypt and Israel, officials from both countries rarely comment publicly on them.

Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly spoken of improving ties with Arab nations in recent months without providing details, with many analysts saying their shared concern over Iran and IS jihadists has drawn them closer together.