Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Hamas has begun targeting strategic sites in Israel.

Officials said Hamas and its Palestinian militia allies were firing medium- and long-range rockets toward critical facilities in Israel.

The officials cited such Hamas targets as the nuclear facility in the southern city of
Dimona, the chemical plant in the northern city Haifa and Ben-Gurion
International Airport. None of the targets was struck.

On July 9, the military reported a barrage of three M-75 rockets toward
Dimona. The military said the Hamas attack was foiled by Israel’s Iron Dome
missile and rocket defense system, reported to have a 90 percent
interception rate.

“Two [rockets] fell in open areas,” the military said. “Iron Dome
intercepted the other.”

Later, Palestinian gunners fired rockets toward northern Israel that
landed in Zikron Yaakov, some 37 kilometers south of Haifa. Officials said
this marked the longest-range strike from the Gaza Strip, some 120 kilometers away. Hamas claimed responsibility and identified the rocket as the R-160, said to be a variant of Syria’s M-302.

“We know there are these rockets in Gaza,” military spokesman Lt. Col.
Peter Lerner said. “They have longer range, they have more firepower and
they are more accurate.”

Lerner identified Hamas’ latest long-range rocket as M-302, with a range
of up to 160 kilometers. He said the M-302 was probably supplied by Iran.

Hamas has also been firing surface-to-air missiles toward Israel Air
Force aircraft over the Gaza Strip. Officials identified most of the weapons
as the SA-7, with an interception range of 3.5 kilometers.

  chemical plant, Dimona, Iron Dome, M-302, R-160, Sources: Hamas targeted Israeli nuclear facility