The sources said the group could be a front for Islamic Jihad, four of whose operatives were killed in Israeli air strikes within 24 hours in early March.

In its statement, Hizbullah Battalions-Palestine said it launched the so-called Radwan missile. No details were given of the weapon.

Palestinian sources said the Hamas regime and Jihad bolstered their coordination with Hizbullah and Iran over the last year. They said at least 50 Iranians were believed to be helping Hamas's military and security forces in the Gaza Strip.

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