Top IDF Commander Says Hamas Has Amassed Vast Arsenal
02/11/2021
The Hamas terror group ruling Gaza has replenished its arsenal since a 2014 war with Israel and now has a vast collection of rockets, guided missiles and drones, a senior Israeli military commander said Thursday.
According to Israeli military estimates, Hamas has some 7,000 rockets, as well as 300 anti-tank and 100 anti-aircraft missiles, the commander said.
It also has acquired dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles and has an army of some 30,000 militants, including 400 naval commandos who have received sophisticated training and equipment to carry out seaborne operations, the commander added.
He spoke on condition of anonymity under military guidelines.
The smaller Islamic Jihad terror group, which often acts independently of Hamas, boasts a similar arsenal, the commander said.
That includes 6,000 rockets, dozens of drones and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, and some 400 naval forces.
Hamas also made use of attack tunnels beneath the Gaza frontier during the 2014 war. Israel has discovered and destroyed around 20 tunnels since hostilities ended, including a large one last October that was still under construction.
The commander said an underground barrier equipped with sensors to detect tunnels is 99% complete and will cover the entire 37-mile (60-kilometer) frontier.
Read More: Ynet