Egyptian armed forces have thwarted a terrorist attack targeting a military unit in the coastal city of Alexandria, a military spokesman said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Forces opened fire on a 4x4 vehicle loaded with over 1.5 tons of "highly explosive material" that was attempting to attack a military unit in the Northern Military Zone, located in Alexandria governorate.

The car driver, who was wearing an explosive belt, was killed, the spokesman added.

To accompany the statement, the military also released a video showing images of barrels filled with explosive materials, munitions and metal parts used to produce shrapnel, which it said had been found in the vehicle.

On Monday, the military intercepted a car bomb at a checkpoint near the city of Arish, the capital of North Sinai governorate, by running over the car with a tank to contain an expected blast that it said would have left 50-60 people dead.

Seven civilians, including two young children, were killed when the car bomb exploded after the tank had driven away.

Egypt is battling an Islamist insurgency based in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula. Attacks also occur on the mainland.