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Another Israeli APC destroyed in Gaza

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 24, 2007

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.


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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