Israel launches deadly air strike on Gaza Strip

Two Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip on Monday, Israeli military and hospital officials said.

Military sources said the two men had been preparing to launch a rocket across the border, according to Reuters news agency.

Palestinian sources said one of the men was a “24-year-old militant,” but hospital officials did not say whether the second man – who died later of his wounds - was also a militant.

The air strike was "carried out in order to eliminate an imminent attack targeting civilian communities of southern Israel", a military spokesman said, Reuters reported.

Gaza is run by the Islamist group Hamas, which is sworn to Israel's destruction, but which has been trying to prevent smaller militant groups from firing at Israel.

(With Reuters)