TEL AVIV — Islamic Jihad has deployed its first mobile missile
launcher.
Israeli military sources said Jihad has developed and deployed a
Kassam-class missile launcher mounted on a vehicle. The sources said the
mobile launcher has been used to fire Kassams into Israel from the northern
Gaza Strip.
On Thursday, the Israel Air Force fired rockets that struck the Jihad
missile vehicle near Dir El Balah in the central Gaza Strip. The sources
said this was the first time Israel destroyed a Palestinian mobile missile
launcher.
The sources said Jihad developed the mobile launcher to fire a salvo of
two missiles. They said Jihad has sought to expand the capability to launch
four missiles in rapid succession.
The Israeli strike of the Jihad vehicle caused a tremendous explosion.
The sources said the vehicle apparently contained additional Kassams.
For its part, Jihad said two of its fighters were killed in Thursday's
operation. Wael Akka
Nasser, 27, and Ahmad Abu Najam, 23, were identified as senior members of
Jihad's military wing.
