TEL AVIV — Over the weekend, Israel Air Force helicopters struck Hamas missile
facilities in the northern Gaza Strip. One of the targets was said to have
been a C2 center.
"A structure used as an operations room was targeted in Gaza City,
resulting in many secondary explosions, which apparently indicate that the
structure also served as a weapons storage facility," an Israeli military
statement said on Saturday.
The statement said the operations room was meant to direct attacks
against Israel, Middle East Newsline reported. The military did not elaborate.
Hamas has been operating a C2 center to coordinate Kassam-class,
short-range missile attacks against Israel. Israeli military sources said
Hamas, with help from the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah, established several
such centers in the northern Gaza Strip.
"Hamas has become more sophisticated in its attacks and can communicate
with several Kassam missile squads," a military source said.
Israel has also been targeting commanders of the Palestinian Authority's
Executive Force, a 5,000-member unit under the nominal authority of the
Interior Ministry. On Saturday, an Israeli AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
attacked the home of Ala Uqailan in the Shati refugee camp outside Gaza
City.
Uqailan was identified as a commander of the Executive Force.
Palestinian sources said the home as well as surrounding buildings were
destroyed or damaged.
