www.menewsline.com

The Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip has been directed by Hizbullah on the use of tunnels for missile and rocket fire toward Israel.

Palestinian sources said the Hamas military was directed by Hizbullah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to construct scores of tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip. The sources said the tunnels were being used for the storage of rockets as well as their launch in any war against Israel.

“The Israelis have the technology to quickly find any missile or rocket fired from the ground,” a source said. “What they don’t have yet is the ability to find rockets launched from tunnels.”

The sources said Hamas oversaw the construction of rocket tunnels in 2012. They said the tunnels were used for missile and rocket attacks into Israel.

Hizbullah relayed the tactics and technology used in its war against Israel in 2006. During the 34-day war, Hizbullah fired 4,500 missiles and rockets into Israel, most of them within five kilometers of the border of the Jewish state.

“Hizbullah has done the same thing in the Gaza Strip — the use of hydraulic lifts to raise rockets from tunnels, fire and then return underground,” the source said.

The sources said Hamas concluded that the use of tunnels was more effective than firing missiles and rockets from mosques, schools and homes.

They said Israel demonstrated its ability to rapidly locate above-ground fire, even from urban areas.

Hamas military has contracted Palestinians to build and operate the rocket-launch tunnels, the sources said. They said Hamas developed a data network to communicate with tunnel operators and order missile and rocket fire. Those who operate without military authorization could be penalized.

The rocket tunnel network, most of which was located on private property, was believed to contain nearly 100 such facilities. The sources said Hamas organized the tunnels as part of its four military regional brigades in the Gaza Strip