By all accounts, Israel’s relentless pounding of terror targets in Gaza has significantly weakened the terror organization but military intelligence experts state Hamas still possesses some 2,000 rockets. According to some experts, the arsenal includes several dozen Iranian-built Fajr-3 longer range rockets.

Israel has concentrated on bombing the Philadelphi Road in the hope of eliminating Hamas’ sophisticated weapons smuggling tunnels, the lifeline for importing weapons and ammunition into Gaza. Some fear that as Hamas continues to acquire more advanced weapons, the terrorists will at some point be capable of targeting the Dimona nuclear facility, 20 miles east of Beersheva, the Times Online reports. This threat however is not new, with the experts aware Hizbullah can strike Dimona with its Iranian-made rockets, a threat that has existed for sometime.

After Israel on Thursday eliminated senior Hamas leader Nizar Rayyan, Hamas announced its retaliation would be extremely painful. Heightened alert status is being maintained by the IDF and other agencies as the offensive against Hamas continues in full swing. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday told French leaders that Israel rejects calls for a humanitarian pause in the fighting at present and Operation Cast Lead will continue as planned.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

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