Hamas, Islamic Jihad Capable of Firing Rockets at Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
The Gaza Strip's two principal militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have already shown they are able to strike Israeli population centers as far away as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
But their capabilities could have been extended significantly, Israel claims, had it not intercepted a ship carrying weapons it says were on their way from Iran to Gaza.
The M-302 rockets found aboard the Klos-C have a range of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles), according to Israel's military, and could therefore have struck anywhere in the Jewish state when fired from Gaza.
During the last major war in November 2012 between Israel and Hamas, which governs the besieged Palestinian territory, the Islamist movement fired M75 rockets, which have a range of 75 kilometers, that hit the areas around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Islamic Jihad at the same time fired Iranian Fajr-5 rockets, which have a similar range.
The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, Mohammad Ali Jafari, has denied that Iran sent Fajr-5 rockets directly to the Strip, saying instead that Hamas and Islamic Jihad possessed the expertise to manufacture them inside Gaza.
It is unclear what type and how many rockets Gaza-based groups currently possess.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have also manufactured other 200mm rockets, which have a range of 80 kilometers.
The more crude Qassam rocket that some militants in the Strip possess has a range of four to 15 kilometers.
None of the rockets have a guidance system, making accurate strikes difficult.
Source: Agence France Presse
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