‘Gaza has dozens more rockets that hit Hadera’

The likely firing of an M-302 rocket Tuesday night at Hadera, a city situated some 116 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, is being seen by the army as likely the most significant event amid the flurry of launches over the last 24 hours.

Lt. Col. Peter Lerner tells the Times of Israel that the M-302, generally made in Syria, was one of the sorts of rockets found on the Iranian arms ship Clos-C, which was intercepted by Israeli forces in March. Israel said the ship was headed for Gaza from Iran, though the UN said it was headed for Sudan.

Although those rockets were seized at sea, it is now clear that others of its kind managed to cross into Gaza. “Our assessment is that there are [dozens] more of these rockets in Gaza,” he says.

Hamas' longest rocket M-302. Originally Chines produced in #Syria #Iran. Range up to 200 km.Warhead 125-175Kg explo pic.twitter.com/yqtndDL22l

— Elijah J. Magnier ???????? (@ejmalrai) July 9, 2014

Additionally the Israeli army on Tuesday targeted 120 concealed rocket launchers, 10 command and control structures – which also serve as the homes of regional Hamas commanders – and six government buildings, including a navy facility and Hamas’ national security ministry building, the army said.

The conscripted Nahal Brigade, relieved by incoming reservists, will join the forces on the Gaza border Wednesday, Lerner says, “in preparation for a possible ground operation.”

Tuesday evening also saw an additional explosion in a Hamas tunnel near Kerem Shalom. Lerner says that the reason for the explosion is unclear and that the infrastructure and components necessary for a terror attack were apparently ready within the tunnel.

The army, he says, believes that the tunnel discovered last night is linked to the tunnel in which seven Hamas operatives were killed on Monday morning.