The means was pitifully inadequate, but the targeting shows considerable thought.

"The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it." -- Paul-Muad'Dib to the Guild navigators, at his confrontation with the Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune.

Terrorists Launch Rocket Attack at Commercial Ship in Suez Canal

A successful attack would do a number of things and they'll be doing this again, you can bet on it. First, a successful attack (sinking or disabling a ship in the Suez Canal) would demonstrate the impotence of the new Egyptian government. Second, it would immediately garner world-wide publicity to their jihadi cause (remember, in 4GW it is the IDEA that is weaponized and exportable). Third, they actually don't have to SINK a ship in the Canal, all they have to do is convince the maritime insurance companies of the world that they can, and Lloyds of London and others will effectively shut it down for them. Fourth, by doing so they attack a major source of Egyptian government income. Fifth, the only real claim to power that the Egyptian military has is that they can keep order. International business will rapidly sour on them as guarantors of stability and, like the Guild Navigators in Dune, will be pressured to seek accommodation with any group that can provide it.

While some industry observers are whistling past the graveyard and crossing their fingers -- witness this article "Why the Suez Canal will remain open even as Egypt burns" -- there are too many upsides for the world-wide jihadi movement and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in particular for this to be the last attack.

Consider what the spectacular destruction of a gasoline tanker in the Canal would do. Unless these people are dumber than I think, the next attacks will be carried out with more capable means such as nautical mines or Silkworm missiles.