GAZA CITY: Israeli warplanes struck the Gaza Strip on Saturday night and Palestinian security sources said five people died in an explosion.

Warplanes hit central Gaza to take out a squad of militants about to fire rockets at Israel, the military said.

Security officials of the territory's Hamas rulers said five people were killed in an explosion in Deir el-Balah, in the central sector of the strip, but did not immediately link the deaths to the air strike.