Israeli air strike wounds 3 Gaza militants

(Adds new details)

GAZA, March 18 (Reuters) - Israel's air force attacked a group of Islamic Jihad militants in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, wounding three of them as well as a bystander, the faction and hospital officials said.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the air strike in the town of Beit Lahiya, saying it targeted two senior Islamic Jihad members who had been involved in cross-border rocket fire.

Islamic Jihad resumed its salvoes against the Jewish state last week after Israeli troops killed four of its members in the occupied West Bank.

Hamas, an Islamist faction which runs Gaza, has largely held its fire as Egypt tries to broker a truce following a bloody Israeli sweep of north Gaza this month.

Israel has denied being in ceasefire talks but said it would only operate against Gaza in response to Palestinian rockets.

Islamic Jihad said three of its members were wounded in Beit Lahiya, two critically. The fourth casualty was a bystander, hospital officials said. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Writing by Dan Williams)