the group published video showing the apparent beheadings of 21
Egyptian Christians.
State TV said the dawn strikes had targeted camps, training sites and
weapons storage areas.
Earlier, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt had the "right to
respond" against IS.
A video emerged on Sunday showing a group wearing orange overalls
being forced to the ground and decapitated.
IS militants claim to have carried out several attacks in Libya, which
is in effect without a government.
"Egypt reserves the right to respond at the proper time and in the
appropriate style in retaliation against those inhuman criminal
killers," President Sisi said.
"Egypt and the whole world are in a fierce battle with extremist
groups carrying extremist ideology and sharing the same goals."
The kidnapped Egyptian workers, all Coptic Christians, were seized in
December and January from the coastal town of Sirte in eastern Libya,
under the control of Islamist groups.
The group's relatives had been demanding more action from Egypt
The video of the beheadings was posted online by Libyan jihadists who
pledge loyalty to IS.
The killings were described as "barbaric" by al-Azhar, the highly
regarded theological institution which is based in Egypt.
Analysis -
Most of the 21 Copts kidnapped in Libya were labourers from an
impoverished village in Upper Egypt.
A caption accompanying the video made it clear they were targeted
because of their faith. It referred to the victims as "people of the
cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian church".
President Sisi has said in the past that militants in Libya are a
danger not just to Egypt, but also to the Middle East.
Egypt has provided assistance to the Libyan government, what remains
of it, and the Libyan Army.
The Egyptian leader will now be under pressure to deliver a robust
response. There is speculation that could come in the form of
airstrikes across the border.
The Coptic church said it was "confident" Egypt would exact
retribution. Egypt has declared seven days of national mourning.
Leading international condemnation, the United States called the
purported killings "despicable" and "cowardly".
Libya has been in chaos since 2011 and the overthrow of its
then-leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi.
Since then, numerous militia groups have battled for control.
Libya has become increasingly unstable
The head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency warned last month that
IS was assembling "a growing international footprint that includes
ungoverned and under-governed areas", including Libya.
On Sunday, Italy closed its embassy in Tripoli. Italy, the former
colonial power, lies less than 500 miles (750km) from Libya at the
shortest sea crossing point.
Despite the turmoil in Libya, thousands of Egyptians go to the country
looking for work.
"These people are not in Libya for tourism, for joy, to steal or even
to beat others, these people went to Libya to work and earn some
money," said Shehata Walham, the brother of one of those killed.
There had been demonstrations in Egypt calling on the government to do
more to secure the release of those held.
--BBC
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