Witnesses say an Israeli drone aircraft fired a missile into a car near a Gaza refugee camp Tuesday, but they say the passengers escaped unharmed.

Israel says the strike near Khan Younis targeted two Palestinian militants wanted in connection with a series of mortar attacks on nearby Jewish settlements.

The Khan Younis camp in southern Gaza is a stronghold of militants who often target Jewish settlements with homemade rockets and mortars. Israel has raided the camp repeatedly to kill or capture militants, and frequently destroys Khan Younis homes linked to such suspects.

Israel has killed scores of Palestinian militants in targeted attacks since the Palestinian uprising (intifada) erupted more than four years ago