New missiles are similar to those fired during the latest Gaza conflict Gaza – Mohammed Habib Hamas has tested long-range missiles by firing them out to sea, Israeli military sources claimed on Sunday. The missiles in question have a range of dozens of kilometres, similar to the host of new rockets Hamas fired on Jerusalem and areas of central Israel during the latest Gaza conflict in November.
The missile tests allegedly took place at Hamas training camps set up in the former Israeli community of Gush Katif. Hamas took over much of the territory for military purposes after Israel abandoned and destroyed Jewish communities inside the Gaza Strip in 2005.
On Sunday, Israeli radio quoted military sources as saying: "Hamas is building missile bases again and is working on improving the system and the abilities of these missiles."
Radio broadcasts also claimed Israel officially protested the missile tests to Cairo through diplomatic channels.
The Hebrew-language newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, meanwhile published statistics provided by the Israeli security service Shabak [also known as Shin Bet] claiming the number of rockets launched by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza during 2012 represented the highest frequency since Operation Cast Lead in late 2008.
Shabak statistics alleged 858 rockets and mortar shells entered Israel throughout 2012, including 119 missiles fired during the last conflict in the coastal region. 110 of the annual total were reportedly intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.