JIHAD IMPROVES MISSILES FIRED INTO ISRAEL
GAZA CITY — The Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad has reported the
development of an enhanced short-range missile for attacks against Israel.
Jihad said its latest Kassam-class, short-range missiles contain an
extended range. The group has used the missiles to strike strategic
facilities in Israel.
Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmad said the group's Quds missiles were being used
against Israeli strategic facilities south of Ashkelon. The facilities
include an oil terminal, desalination plant and a power station.
"Our firing is not coincidental," Abu Ahmad told the Israeli news
website ynet. "The rocket-firing cells are aiming at targets and strategic
facilities on which, or next to which, the rockets land. Even if it doesn't
hit it directly, we continue to improve, and recently, the enemy has also
admitted this."
Jihad claimed responsibility for most of the missile strikes against
Israel in December 2006 and January 2007. The strikes included a missile
landing at an unidentified Israeli strategic facility.
"In recent days, one of our rockets landed in an extremely sensitive
strategic facility," Abu Ahmad said.
Israel, which pledged a commitment to a ceasefire, has largely refrained
from responding to the missile strikes. The military has pressed the
government for a massive response.
Abu Ahmad said Jihad has enhanced a Soviet-origin Katyusha rocket to
produce the Quds-4. He said the new rocket has a range of 14 kilometers and
was fired recently into Israel from the Gaza Strip.
"The unit for manufacturing and development in the Al Quds Brigades
developed Grad missiles, an upgraded Katyusha called Quds-4, which recently
landed for the first time 14 kilometers from the Gaza Strip," Abu Ahmad
said.
Abu Ahmad said Jihad has been developing a longer-range rocket. He said
this weapon could strike most of the towns in southern Israel.
"We are in advanced stages of working on a rocket with a range of 22
kilometers," Abu Ahmad said.