Gaza/Tel Aviv  - The Israeli military killed at least five Palestinian militants and wounded six during clashes in the southern and central Gaza Strip Friday, medical officials said.

The fighting in southern Gaza erupted when an Israeli force crossed into the Strip near the Sufa border crossing, prompting heavy exchanges of fire with local militants, who fired mortar shells and anti-tank missiles at the force.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the ground force used air support during the fighting and an aircraft fired a missile at a group of the gunmen. Three Hamas militants were killed, said the armed wing of the radical Islamic movement ruling Gaza. An Israeli soldier was also moderately injured.

In central Gaza, Israeli soldiers stationed on the border shot dead two militants who approached them, planted a bomb at the border fence and opened fire at them. The Islamic Jihad's armed wing said two of its militants were killed.

The Israeli force later withdrew from southern Gaza. (dpa)