An Israeli drone strike inside Egypt killed five suspected militants and destroyed a rocket launcher Friday, two senior Egyptian security officials said, marking a rare Israeli operation carried out in its Arab neighbor's territory.

The strike, coming after a warning from Egypt caused Israel to briefly close an airport Thursday, potentially signals a significant new level of cooperation between the two former foes over security matters in Sinai Peninsula after a military coup.

Egypt long has maintained that it wouldn't allow other countries to use its territories as hotbed to launch attacks against other countries.

Residents heard a large explosion Friday in El-Agra, an area in the northern region of the Sinai.

The officials said the Israeli attack was in cooperation with Egyptian authorities.