Israeli airstrike kills militants

JERUSALEM, July 16 (UPI) -- A group of alleged terrorists was killed Wednesday in the Gaza Strip in an aerial attack led by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli Securities Authority.

The aerial attack targeted suspected members of the militant Army of Islam. Israeli officials say the operatives were involved in recent terror attack attempts against Israel, the Israel Defense Forces reported.

The IDF and ISA joint operation resulted in the deaths of three senior terrorists: Ma'ataz Dagmesh, Mahmud Shandi and Muhamad Asaliya.

The Army of Islam is the Gaza arm of al-Qaida. The group is allegedly responsible for the abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and British journalist Alan Johnston, along with the deaths of two Israeli soldiers.

Additionally, the Army of Islam attempted two unsuccessful bomb strikes and a "joint attack with Hamas in December 2005 in which five Israeli civilians were killed," the release said.