Israel now believes the militant Palestinian organization Hamas has taken possession of a rocket capable of reaching Tel Aviv, the country's main conurbation.

The claim was made by Israel's head of military intelligence Amos Yadlin during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, on Tuesday.

Pondering reactions followed Israeli claim, analysts believe that at the present it is not in the interests of both sides to see military confrontation breaking out anytime soon.

Hamas denies rocket claim

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) believes Hamas now has a foreign-made missile with a range of 60 km. That brings into range Tel Aviv and large towns in the Jerusalem foothills.

Israel maintains that Hamas tested the rocket over the Mediterranean Sea last Thursday, on a stormy day, perhaps in a bid to hide the trial from the eyes of Israel's radars and unmanned aircraft.

A senior Hamas official told Xinhua on Wednesday that as far as he is aware his organization did not carry out a rocket test.

"I believe this is just an Israeli allegation because they are trying to justify their aggression and give the world community the impression that Hamas is developing long-range missiles," said Ahmed Yousuf, Hamas' deputy foreign minister and a senior adviser to Hamas' Prime Minister Ismail Haniya.

Hamas' military wing, meanwhile, refused to comment.

Despite the denials, Israel is convinced that Hamas has used the current period of calm to rebuild its arms cache in the wake of last winter's fighting against Israel. Israeli intelligence suggests Hamas now has more weaponry and missiles than it did on the eve of the outbreak of hostilities in last December.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2009)