Islamic State militants have said they were behind a deadly explosion that severely damaged the Italian consulate in Egypt's capital, Cairo.

At least one person died and several people were injured when a car bomb went off at the building.

A tweet from a Twitter account linked to IS said Muslims should stay away from sites like the consulate, as they are "legitimate targets" for strikes.

Policemen and civilians were among the injured, the health ministry said.

The main entrance of the building was almost totally destroyed, windows were shattered and the building was flooded after water-pipes ruptured.

"Italy will not let itself be intimidated," the country's foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said in a tweet, adding that there had been no Italian casualties.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi spoke to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after the attack and promised the two countries would stand together "in the fight against terrorism and fanaticism".

Had it been a working day, the casualty numbers could have been much higher, says the BBC's Sally Nabil in Cairo.

BBC