If the goal of the “braintrust” of the rogue jihadists calling themselves the Islamic State is to alienate and outrage most of the world’s governments through repeated gruesome acts of terror, it’s working.

The actions are drawing in more and more countries that have wanted to stay on the periphery of the fight. Egypt entered the fray on Monday with a dawn raid by fighter jets on Islamic State training camps and weapons stocks in neighboring Libya.

It marks the first Egyptian military intervention since the 1990 gulf war and was prompted by the horrific mass beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians, which was broadcast over the Internet.

The Egyptian raid also highlights the lack of consensus of opposing forces on how to deal with the Islamic State. Egypt, which has received billions in aid from the United States, didn’t bother to inform its longtime ally before launching the attack. President Barack Obama has favored a political solution to the situation in Libya.

It’s imperative that the Middle East nations opposing the group work with the United States to reach consensus on how to stop its growing threat.

A statement released by Egypt’s military said, “(we) must take revenge for the Egyptian blood that was shed.”

Egypt shares 700 miles of border with Libya, which increases the sense of urgency for the Egyptian military.

In a nationally televised speech Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called the beheadings an “abhorrent act of terrorism” and said Egypt reserved the right to respond. He also banned all Egyptians from entering Libya.

Libya’s air force confirmed it launched coordinated strikes with Egypt, claiming to have killed more than 60 militants and saying the strikes would continue.

Just weeks ago the Islamic State goaded Jordan into similar air attacks after releasing a video of a captured Jordanian pilot being burned to death. Since that ghastly event, Jordan’s military has been a full participant in air strikes against Islamic State positions. The pilot’s death also has managed to greatly solidify public sentiment in Jordan behind the notion of stopping the group.

No one should think that there are easy answers to stopping the Islamic State and its campaign of terror.

There aren’t.

This is a complex regional fight that has centuries-old underpinnings. But one key element is for nations such as Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Saudi Arabia to recognize that it is in their own interest to work together and with the United States to stop this bloody scourge from spreading any further.

— San Jose Mercury News