This a cross-post from Just Journalism.
Fri. 8 Apr. 2011 @16.46 –
The anti-tank missile that Hamas fired into southern Israel yesterday and that hit a school bus near Nahal Oz kibbutz, injuring both the driver and a 16 year-old boy, was a Russian-made Kornet, Just Journalism has learnt.
An Israeli security source confirmed today that the Kornet, which uses a laser guidance system and can be operated by night or day, is ‘among the most sophisticated anti-tank missiles’ in existence. It carries a range of up to 5 kilometers, one of the longest ranges for this type of weapon. Operating the Kornet requires ‘high level military training,’ our source confirmed, suggesting that Hamas has dramatically improved its weapons capabilities since the 2009 Gaza War.
So far, none of the British press coverage of the school bus attack has given details of the high-tech nature of the projectile used in yesterday’s attack.
The first documented case of a Kornet missile being fired from Gaza was on December 6, 2010, when, according to then-Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, one hit an Israeli Merkava tank and penetrated its outer shell though failed to explode inside.
In the latest tranche of WikiLeaks documents one U.S. State Department cable, dated November 18, 2009, discusses a briefing of the U.S. Joint Political Military Group delegation by Israel Defence Intelligence (IDI) officers:
IDI also provided an analysis of weapons entering Gaza following Operation Cast Lead. IDI noted that one of the goals of Cast Lead was to damage Hamas’ ability to produce its own weapons. In this regard, the IDF was successful, but Hamas is reconstituting its capabilities. According to the IDI, Hamas possibly possesses a few rockets with ranges over 40 km — perhaps as far as 60-70 km, or within range of Tel Aviv. In addition, the IDI believes Hamas possesses quality AT systems such as the Kornet PG-29 and quality anti-aircraft artillery (AAA). These weapons join an already potent arsenal including Grad rockets with ranges up to 40 km, ammonium perchlorate (APC) oxidizer for indigenous rocket production, hundreds of 120, 80 and 60 mm MBs, dozens of mortars, C5 K air-to-surface rockets, PG-7 AT rockets and launchers, SA-7 MANPADS, PKS AAA MGs and thousands of rounds of ammunition, and quality AT, such as Sagger missiles and launchers, and light anti-tank weapon (LAW) rockets.
Russia has repeatedly denied selling Kornets to Iran and Syria, the countries that Israel has said are arming both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon with state-of-the-art weaponry.
