Israeli strike wounds 5 Palestinian militants

GAZA, Oct 3 (Reuters) An Israeli air strike in northern Gaza today wounded five Palestinian militants, Palestinian medics and witnesses said.

An Israeli army spokesman said the military had targeted a car carrying Islamic Jihad militants involved in recent rocket attacks against the Jewish state.

Israel has often targeted Palestinian militants in Gaza and has stepped up an offensive in the territory in recent days in a bid to stop rocket attacks against the Jewish state and to pressure armed groups to free a soldier they abducted in June.

Palestinian witnesses said an Israeli missile wounded two members of Islamic Jihad inside their vehicle near the town of Beit Hanoun and that another missile struck another car carrying members of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, injuring three of them.

The army spokesman said the military targeted one vehicle and that the second explosion may have been caused by munitions.

It was unclear if the militants had carried any in the vehicles.

Both Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is part of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group, have in the past carried out rocket attacks against Israel from Gaza.

At least 220 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, around half of them civilians, according to Palestinian medical workers and research groups.

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