Egyptian officials say they killed 20 suspected militants in the Sinai Peninsula Wednesday in airstrikes, escalating the country's fight against Islamists in the region bordering Israel.

In a statement read on state television Wednesday, the military said it has started an operation in Sinai to restore stability and regain control there.

The strikes came hours after militants attacked security checkpoints in the city of El-Arish, about 50 kilometers from the border with Israel and the Gaza Strip.

On Sunday, militants launched their bloodiest ever attack on the army, killing 16 Egyptian border guards as they tried to cross into Israel.

Since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak last year, parts of the Sinai have seen an increase in lawlessness.