Report: Tunnels increase, Israel concerned

JERUSALEM, March 21 (UPI) -- The Israeli Army is concerned about the increasing number of tunnels being built by Hamas in Gaza along the border with Israel, sources told The Jerusalem Post.

Military sources told the newspaper the number of tunnels has grown in recent years but the exact number is unknown.

Since the end of Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli offensive against Palestinian terror groups operating in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has made major improvements to its military capabilities, the sources said.

One of the main issues concerns its upgraded missile capability and includes the addition of Iranian long-range Fajr missiles smuggled into Gaza that are capable of reaching Tel Aviv, the sources said.

Hamas is also seeking to enhance its communication capabilities. The newspaper cited U.S. diplomatic cables revealed by WikiLeaks that show Iran financed a new fiber optics communications network in Lebanon that operates independently of the national communications network.

In December 2009, the Fatah-run PalVoice news service said Hamas was attempting to create its own communications network and was using Iranian equipment smuggled into Gaza through tunnels.

The news service said Hamas was modeling its network on the one built by Hezbollah in south Lebanon after the 2006 Second Lebanon war.

Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are also believed to be in possession of new anti-tank missiles, including the Russian made Kornet, Sagger and Fagot, the newspaper said.