Hamas now can hit metro Tel Aviv with missiles

[Israel Insider]

Terror groups in Gaza have significantly increased the range of missiles in their arsenal and can now reach Tel Aviv, the head of Israel's military intelligence said Tuesday. Major-General Amos Yadlin told parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee that Hamas had recently test-fired a missile with a range of 60 kilometers (37 miles), Israeli media reports from the session said.

Channel Two said that Hamas had fired the missile last thursday, and the projectile had fallen into the sea. The report indicated that the warhead may be more than 50 kilograms (110 pounds).

In Gaza, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing refused to comment on Yadlin's claims. 'We are not interested in responding to the Zionist intelligence reports; they can say whatever they want,' Abu Obaida said.

'We cannot confirm, deny or clarify these statements, 'he added, in a statement posted on the group's website.

Yadlin did not say whether the missile had been locally-manufactured, or smuggled in. But he accused Syria of being the main weapons supplier for Hamas, and also for Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, which he said had also amassed a stockpile of weapons.

However, he said that at present Hamas is not interested in precipitating a conflict with Israel since it is trying to consolidate its civilian control over the Gaza Strip - which it has controlled since June 2007 - and in stockpiling weapons.

Hamas has fired thousands of missiles at Israel's southern towns and villages since the beginning of the decade. During Israel's winter offensive, Hamas launched missiles which struck as far as Beersheba, 40 kilometres from the Strip. The new capability would dramatically increase the risk of a new war, Israeli media reported.