Israel discovers Hamas 'cruise missile factory'

The Israeli military announced the discovery of a Hamas "cruise missile factory" in a tunnel under the city in the northern Gaza Strip.

Soldiers of the 933rd Nahal Brigade and Israeli special forces recently discovered a tunnel leading to a Hamas underground weapons factory in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip.

"Soldiers found parts that showed Hamas members had learned how to operate and manufacture precision components and strategic weapons with guidance from Iran," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on January 7.

The IDF posted photos of what it said were the engines and warheads of Hamas-made cruise missiles. However, it is unclear whether Hamas has used the weapons or is just developing them.

Warheads and engines of Hamas cruise missiles were discovered by Israeli soldiers in this photo released on January 7. Photo: IDF

Hamas possesses anti-tank guided missiles and small explosive-carrying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as surface ships and suicide submarines, but no longer possesses long-range missiles. It also has shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, but they have proved useless against Israeli military aircraft.

The IDF announced on the same day that a drone from the 1st Golani Brigade spotted several members of Hamas' Nukhba special forces loading weapons into a car in the al-Bureij neighborhood in the central Gaza Strip. The Israeli army then launched a raid targeting the Hamas special forces.

IDF units discovered a Hamas weapons depot, a workshop and two tunnels in the central Gaza Strip. In the northern Gaza Strip, the Nahal brigade discovered a rocket site with dozens of launchers that militants used to attack the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon last week. Israeli engineers later destroyed the rocket launchers.

Israeli soldiers stand next to an underground rocket launcher in the northern Gaza Strip on January 7. Photo: IDF

The Israel-Hamas war has entered its fourth month. The IDF announced on January 6 that it had "completely dismantled" Hamas' command structure in the northern Gaza Strip and would focus on the central and southern regions. The Gaza Strip's health authority said 22,835 people have been killed and 58,416 injured since the fighting began in October 2023.

Martin Griffiths, head of the UN humanitarian program, said on January 5 that Gaza "has become uninhabitable." The World Health Organization (WHO) said that most of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have stopped functioning due to fighting, and those that remain face severe shortages of medical supplies and essentials.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government had instructed the IDF to "eliminate Hamas, rescue all hostages and ensure that the Gaza Strip no longer poses a threat to Israel." "The fighting will not stop until we achieve all our objectives," Netanyahu said.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP )

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