Egypt's army announced on Monday that it carried out "successful pre-emptive strikes against terrorist elements," killing 13 militants in northern and central Sinai following a shootout.

The army spokesman said in an official statement that third field army units were able to neutralise or destroy 30 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that were planted to target moving units northwest of Mount Halal.

He also said that 50 anti-tank mines were found in the same area, adding that a storage area for explosives was discovered in a canyon in Mount Halal. 

According to the spokesman, 100 plastic barrels full of explosive material used in manufacturing IEDs were found, as well as five bags of ammonium nitrate. 

The army also destroyed three cars and two motorcycles which it says belonged to the militants. 

The operation is part of a larger security effort dubbed 'Martyr's Right,' which was launched in September 2015 with the aim of fighting Islamist militants in Sinai.

The Martyr's Right operation was put into action following coordinated militant attacks on several army checkpoints that killed 21 soldiers in July 2015.

Egypt has been fighting an Islamist insurgency based in North Sinai for decades.