Special report: Israel-Palestine conflicts

    JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian militants have recently left the Gaza Strip and went abroad to learn expertise on how to manufacture and launch short-range Katyusha rockets, Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

    Citing high-ranking defense officials, the report said that Katyusha rockets were estimated to have a range of over 35 km, and could reach Israel's southern cities of Kiryat Gat, Netivot and Ofakim.

    An Israeli army officer attributed the Palestinian resort to Katyusha rockets to technology exhaust of the inferior Qassam."The Qassam cannot be further upgraded, and the Palestinians need a new weapon," the officer said.

    However the officer was reluctant to reveal the destination of those Palestinian militants who are responsible for development and firing of Qassam rockets at the western Negev.

    It was only known that some Hamas members are receiving training in Lebanon and Iran from Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, according to the report.

    An Israeli high-ranking defense official said that Israel should prepare for encountering more powerful rocket attacks than Qassam or even Katyusha, although Qassam rockets are still Israeli army's focus.

    It was reported that Israel's Home Front Command has updated its databases rather than Qassam and started running simulations and tests protective measures against the larger Katyusha rocket.