Israel's head of military intelligence says the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip Hamas has test-fired a new long-range rocket capable of reaching its capital Tel Aviv.
Major-General Amos Yadlin told a parliamentary committee that the rocket, which has a range of about 37 miles (60 km), was believed to be of Iranian origin and had been successfully fired out to sea. The furthest Palestinian rockets have hit Israel is approximately 46km (28 miles), hitting the city of Beersheba.
Hamas, which rules Gaza Strip since it ousted forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas in 2006, has not commented on the new rocket.
However, a Hamas spokesman issued a new statement saying the Israeli announcement was aimed to influence world public opinion ahead of the U.N. debate on the Goldstone report. He 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."
Since 2001, militants have fired thousands of rockets into southern Israel, many from Beit Hanoun in the north of the coastal strip killing 18 Israelis. Most have a range of just a few kilometers and land without causing injury or damage, though the rockets cause widespread fear and disruption.
Israel withdrew its forces and settlers from Gaza in 2006 but continues to control the strip's border, coastline and air space. Along with Egypt it maintains a crippling blockade on the territory.
Rocket fire into Israel has diminished dramatically since the Jewish nation launched a devastating assault on Gaza in December and January.
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