GAZA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - At least two Hamas militants were killed and two others wounded in an Israeli missile strike in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, Palestinian medical workers and the Islamist group said.

Residents said the group of militants had been firing mortars at Israel at the time of the strike.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said the army carried out an air strike on militants who were about to fire mortars into Israel.

The Israeli army frequently carries out attacks against militants in the coastal territory to try to stop them from firing rockets at southern Israeli towns and placing explosives near the border fence aimed at attacking Israeli troops. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Dominic Evans)

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