Hamas rocket unit. Illustrative image.
The Hamas Movement was developing precision-guided missiles with help from Iran, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) revealed on January 7.
In a statement, the IDF said that technological equipment including components used to build such missiles were discovered by troops operating in the Gaza Strip.
Nahal Brigade troops and special forces recently raided a Hamas site in the Gaza City’s Daraj and Tuffah neighborhoods, finding a tunnel shaft leading to an underground weapons manufacturing plant. The troops found “components proving terrorists of the Hamas terror organization learned under Iranian guidance how to operate and build precision components and strategic weapons,” the IDF said.
The IDF also released photos of what it claimed was a rocket engine and the warhead of a “cruise missile” developed by Hamas.
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- Click to see full-size image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
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- Click to see full-size image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
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- Click to see full-size image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is known to possess anti-tank guided missiles, man-portable air defense systems, aerial suicide drones and underwater suicide drones, but not precision guided sufrace-to-surface ballistic or missiles.
The IDF didn’t say if Hamas ever deployed its precision-guided missiles, or the project was only in the development stage only.
Iran developed its missile capabilities in the last few decades and is believed to have supplied its allies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen with precision-guided missiles and other advanced offensive means. It is possible that Hamas was indeed working with help from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to develop such precision strike capabilities.
