Three wounded in suspected militant attack at Egyptian Red Sea resort hotel

Three foreign tourists were wounded by suspected militants who launched an attack at a hotel in an Egyptian Red Sea resort.

The incident at the Bella Vista Hotel in the city of Hurghada was said to have taken place shortly before 8.45pm local time [6.45pm UK time] on Friday.

The assailants are thought to have arrived by sea before launching into the attack, security sources said.

The Interior Ministry said two men armed with knives entered the outdoor restaurant at the front of the seaside hotel before targeting tourists.

The ministry said security forces opened fire on the two assailants, killing one and seriously wounding the other.

All three injured tourists, two Austrians and one Swede, were taken to hospital where one was treated and then discharged.

Initial reports suggested the tourists were from Denmark and Germany.

It is not currently known who is behind today's attack.

Earlier today, Islamic State said its fighters carried out an attack on Israeli tourists in Cairo on Thursday in response to a call by the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to target Jews "eveywhere".

No tourists were injured in yesterday's attack and Egyptian authorities said the attack was aimed at security forces.

A Russian passenger plane crashed in the Sinai desrt on October 31, killing all 224 people on board after an explosion.

Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack. and released a photograph of a bomb, which the group claimed was used to bring down the plane.

Additional reporting by agencies.