The escalation Nov. 13 between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip revealed Hamas’ use of a Kornet missile that hit an Israeli military bus inside Israel, north of Gaza. Hamas announced killing and wounding an unspecified number of passengers, while Israel said one soldier was seriously wounded.

Hamas gets Kornet missiles from smuggling operations through the tunnels from the Sinai Peninsula. Israel believes they are dangerous because they are anti-tank and anti-reinforcement, and they carry a highly flammable tip and have a destructive penetration ability.

Amir Bohbot, an expert on Israeli military affairs at Walla website, cited Jan. 6 Israeli Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot and other officers saying on condition of anonymity, “Israel is pursuing Hamas in Sinai and is spearheading a big battle against its growing military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, in this border region, by foiling dozens of arms shipments heading from Sinai to Gaza. Israel managed to destroy 15,000 advanced missiles on their way to Hamas warehouses in the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, “Hamas is a national liberation movement limiting its activity to fighting Israel in the Palestinian territories. It has the right to possess the necessary tools to defend its people against Israeli aggression.”