TEL AVIV — Israeli military sources said the Palestinian Authority is
seeking to acquire medium-range rockets from Iran.
The sources said the PA has appealed to Iran and Hizbullah
to ship either the Fajr-4 or Fajr-5 rocket to the Gaza Strip. The sources
said the Hamas-led PA believes that the Fajr, smuggled from Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula to the Gaza Strip, could help deter an Israeli ground invasion of
the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas badly wants to change the balance of power with Israel and
believes that the Fajr could be the answer," a military source said.
On Wednesday, the PA continued missile attacks against Ashkelon, the
second largest city in southern Israel, Middle East Newsline reported. An enhanced Kassam-class,
short-range missile slammed into downtown Ashkelon and eight people were
treated for shock.
"The Palestinians are concerned about Israel's steady incursion in the
Gaza Strip," the source said. "The Israeli attacks threaten to erode
Palestinian capability, which Hamas cannot afford."
Israeli military analyst Amir Oren said Hamas plans to target Israeli
military bases and cities north of Ashkelon. Oren, regarded as having close
ties to military intelligence, cited Ashdod and the Israeli Air Force base
at Hatzor.
"Hamas has three goals in its rocket development plans: range, warhead
and shape," Oren wrote in the Israeli daily Haaretz. "If the Palestinians
manage to smuggle a few Fajr-type surface-to-surface rockets from Lebanon or
Iran, they will be able to reach Tel Aviv."
In 2006, Hizbullah acquired the Fajr-5, the sources said. The rocket was
said to have a range of up to 200 kilometers, capable of striking Tel Aviv
from the Lebanese border. The Fajr-4 was said to have a range of 75
kilometers.
The sources said Hamas leaders have been in close consultation with Iran
and Hizbullah since the June 25 attack on an Israeli base near the Gaza
Strip, which included the abduction of an Israeli soldier. They said Iranian
and Syrian representatives have met Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al, based in
Damascus, to discuss tactics in the war against Israel.
"Hizbullah has managed to smuggle the Grad [rocket] into the Gaza
Strip," a military source said. "There's no reason why they won't try to
smuggle the Fajr as well."
