Militants used car bombs to attack five military road checkpoints, and were armed with heavy weapons and anti-aircraft weaponry.

Security sources said that the militants planted bombs and land mines around it to prevent forces from leaving the station and planted bombs along the road between Sheikh Zuweid and al-Zuhour army camp to prevent the movement of army supplies or reinforcements.

In spite of the heavy attack on the police station, the militants failed to breach it and the siege was ended with the help of air strikes conducted by Apache helicopters and F-16 jet fighters.

[2][7] The militant death toll increased in the following days, due to Egyptian military operations in the region, reaching 241 killed.

[4] Zack Gold, Middle East analyst, views the battle as a change in strategy from hit and run tactics toward an ISIS-like 'holding' of territory.