Jerusalem - Militants groups in the Gaza Strip have significantly increased the range of missiles in their arsenal and can now strike at 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 kilometres, Israeli media reports from the session said.
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 armed group's website.
Yadlin did not say whether the missile, which was fired into the Mediterranean Sea, had been locally-manufactured, or smuggled into the Strip.
He accused Syria of being the main weapons supplier for Hamas, and also for the Hezbollah guerrilla group in southern Lebanon, which he said had also amassed a stockpile of weapons.
However he said that at this stage, Hamas is not interested in precipitating a conflict with Israel, since it is trying to consolidate its civilian control over the Gaza Strip - it has administered the salient 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. Most of the projectiles have been locally produced and have resulted in few casualties and little significant damage, although their psychological effect is considerable.
But during Israel's turn-of-the-year offensive against the Gaza Strip, Hamas launched missiles which struck as far as Beersheba, 40 kilometres from the Strip.
Israel said the continued rocket fire was the reason it launched its offensive against the Gaza Strip at the turn of the year
