Tel Aviv, 3 Nov. (AKI) - The military wing of the Gaza-ruling movement Hamas possesses an Iranian-made missile that can reach the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, according to Israel's military intelligence chief. Top Israeli Army General General Amos Yadlin made the remarks in front of a parliamentary panel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Israeli media said.

According to Yadlin, Hamas has allegedly carried out at least one successful trial launch of a rocket with a 60-kilometre range in the Mediterranean Sea. The missile is capable of reaching Tel Aviv when launched from the war-torn Gaza Strip.

He also told the Knesset foreign affairs and defence committee that he is concerned about Hamas having possibly smuggled Fajr-style rockets, which were used by the militant Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah during the war against Lebanon in 2006.

However, according to Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post, it was not clear whethe he meant the Fajr-3 of Fajr-5 missile, which have ranges of 50 and 70 kilometres respectively.

During Israel's December 2008 and January 2009 offensive, termed 'Operation Cast Lead', the Islamist movement launched a 40-kilometre rocket which reached the Israeli city of Beersheba.

During the Israeli offensive, more than 50,000 homes were destroyed by the Israeli army, as well as 29 mosques, two churches and 200 schools.

The 22-day Israeli military operation, launched with the stated aim of ending Hamas rocket attacks against Israel, killed some 1,400 Palestinians and injured more than 5,400 others, according to UN figures.

Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians hit by cross-border rocket fire were killed in the conflict.