The Egyptian military said it had killed a total of 39 militants in raids in two cities in the Sinai Peninsula on Saturday.

Official spokesman Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said in an official statement that the Egyptian army had raided Sheikh Zuwaid’s southern district of Lafetat and Rafah's southern district of Masaid, killing 14 militants.

Another 25 militants were killed in Om Shaihan village and in the district of East Al-Batour in central Sinai, Samir said in a separate statement.

The spokesman released two videos showing two "bomb-laden vehicles" as they were blown up by the military.

He also announced the arrest of four alleged militants who he said were responsible for planting improvised explosive devices in locations in North Sinai.

Raids by the Egyptian military against Islamist militants have increased after coordinated attacks on 1 and 2 July by Islamic State affiliated group Sinai Province (formerly known as Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis) left at least 21 soldiers dead in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah.

Last week, the army announced it killed 241 "terrorists," destroyed 26 vehicles and made16 bombs- aimed at targeting police- safe in North Sinai over a period of five days. 

Following the deadly attacks, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited troops in North Sinai, donning his military uniform for the first time since he took office in June 2014, to show his support for the Egyptian army in the fight against terrorism.

The decade-long militant insurgency in North Sinai has intensified in the past two years, with hundreds of army and police personnel killed. The army has also announced the killing of hundreds of terrorists.

In November 2014, Sinai Province pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.