NABLUS (West Bank) March 2: A Palestinian rocket production factory raided by the Israeli army in the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank was the first one unearthed in the Palestinian territories, an army spokesman said Saturday.

Among the weapons discovered in the Friday night raid were six “almost complete” Qassam 2 rockets, one of which was “ready to use”, he said.

The Qassam 2 is a long-range Palestinian-made rocket similar to the Russian Katyusha missile, and has a range of between eight and 10 kilometres (five to six miles).

Its production by Palestinian militants has raised serious concerns they could attack Israeli cities across the border. “This is very significant. We have stopped a truck carrying these rockets before but this is the first time we have discovered a production factory,” he told AFP.

“This (refugee camp) is the epicentre of terrorism for the West Bank and finding this is a real plus for us in the struggle against terror,” he added.

The army had also discovered a large cache of other weapons, including a number of explosive belts, in the operation in which some 12 people were arrested.

Israeli forces moved into the refugee camps in Balata and Jenin before dawn on Thursday.

On Saturday, troops pulled out of the Jenin camp, but redeployed around it.—AFP