Hamas has replenished its arsenal since Operation Protective Edge of 2014 and now has a vast collection of rockets, guided missiles and drones, a senior IDF commander said Thursday.
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According to Israeli military estimates, Hamas has some 7,000 rockets, as well as 300 anti-tank and 100 anti-aircraft missiles.
It also has acquired dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles and has an army of some 30,000 militants, including 400 naval commandos who have received sophisticated training and equipment to carry out seaborne operations, the commander added.
The smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which often acts independently of Hamas, boasts a similar arsenal that includes 6,000 rockets, dozens of drones and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, and some 400 naval forces.
During Operation Protective Edge, Hamas also made use of attack tunnels beneath the Gaza border. Israel has discovered and destroyed around 20 tunnels since hostilities ended, including a large one last October that was still under construction.
The commander said an underground barrier equipped with sensors to detect tunnels is 99% complete and will cover the entire 37-mile frontier.
Hamas seized control of Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Since then, it has fought three wars with Israel.
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