GAZA, Oct 17 (Reuters/JMCC) - An Israeli air strike on Sunday killed two armed Palestinian in the northern Gaza Strip who had attempted to launch rockets at Israel, the Israeli military and Palestinian medics said.

Men were targeted in an air strike after they were spotted preparing to fire a rocket or a mortar shell at Israel and we identified a hit, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

Israel often carries out strikes against militant targets in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas. The strikes generally target tunnels that militants use to smuggle in weapons from neighbouring Egypt.

It was the first killing in an Israeli attack on militants in the Gaza Strip since Sept 27. The Israeli military says militants have fired more than 165 rockets so far this year.