"Israeli" Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, director of Military Intelligence, announced Tuesday that Hamas launched a rocket some 60 kilometers into the sea, apparently as an experiment. Such a rocket, if fired from the northernmost point of the Gaza Strip, could strike the southern cities of the Gush Dan area - including Rishon Letzion, Holon and Bat Yam - and possibly reach as far as Tel Aviv itself.

Although Yadlin didn't specify the type of the weapon used, it appears to be a standard, foreign-made rocket brought into Gaza. Yadlin told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and "Israeli" War Committee that Hamas has accumulated an arsenal of rockets slightly larger than the arsenal it possessed before last winter's Operation Cast Lead.

"Israeli" daily Haaretz said that the experiment hardly caught "Israeli" intelligence by surprise, as it had assumed Hamas had acquired a similar type of rocket several months ago. However, the importance of Yadlin's report should not be underestimated as this is the first tangible piece of evidence that Hamas holds a weapon capable of striking Gush Dan. It would seem Hamas has used the lull in fighting with "Israel" to not only restore, but improve its capabilities.
"Israeli" military sources claimed that despite the improved rockets, Hamas' ability to launch missiles into central "Israel" is limited, but added that it was only a matter of time before this ability is improved, with Iran's support.

In the meantime, the Home Front Command is not preparing to hand out instruction manuals or implement other plans in the communities which are subject to the new threat, mainly due to the fact that the threats from the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon already over most of the country's areas.

The rocket was fired in rough weather, apparently in an attempt to hide the experiment from "Israeli" eyes. But "Israel's" radar installations registered the launch, even if the exact spot where the missile hit the sea is unknown. "Israel" believes Hamas considers the new rocket a strategic asset, a "doomsday weapon" of sorts, and therefore avoided publicizing the experimental launch, in the hope of using the weapon as a surprise during some later confrontation.

Hamas is also busy improving its own production capabilities, as well as equipping itself with new anti-tank missiles and older anti-aircraft missiles.

Haaretz report said that Yadlin's announcement should be seen as part of an attempt by the "Israeli" military to prepare the public for a new attack against the Strip. The General Staff is not remotely eager for another round, especially with the Goldstone report conclusions still haunting "Israeli" commanders of the previous operation when they travel abroad.

The "Israeli" army, however, is not waiting for the Iron Dome anti-missile system to become operational in mid 2010, and is preparing for an escalation in other ways. "Just like the "Israeli" army was prepared for Operation Cast Lead, it is operating now by preparing and training in order to respond powerfully to any development," a military official said.

It added that what "Israel" should be doing in the meantime is improving its anti-missile defense systems. Iron Dome, the "Israeli" answer to the Katyusha and Qassam rockets, is moving along satisfactorily.

At first, a spokesman for the Islamic resistance organization's military wing, Abu Obeida, refused to confirm Yadlin's statement on the missile launch. Abu Obeida remarked that "the occupation can say whatever it likes, and whatever it says is dubious."

A few hours later, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum issued a new statement saying the "Israeli" announcement was aimed to influence world public opinion ahead of the UN debate. Barhum said the diplomatic crisis triggered by the report "has led the Zionist enemy to make up excuses in an attempt to instigate public opinion against Hamas."