The Palestinian rocket arsenal used in the Arab–Israeli conflict includes a wide range of rockets and missiles, varying in design, size and payload capacity. Palestinian rockets include those locally made in Gaza and the West Bank as well as weapons smuggled from Iran and Syria. Rockets are used in attacks on Israel, mostly to target Israeli civilian centers[1] in addition to Israeli military posts. Various Palestinian groups have used rockets against Israel including Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, as well as left-wing groups.[2] Rockets are one of the main weapons produced by Palestinian militant and terrorist groups.
Types of rockets
Range of Palestinian rockets (shot from Gaza)Sderot factory bursting into flames following rocket strike
Fajr-5 – an Iranian artillery rocket first developed in the 1990s[4]
M-75 – Gazan produced Fajr-5 rocket,[5] used in attacks on Tel Aviv, Israel's most populated city. Hamas has produced the M-75 rockets in local workshops using the drawings and documentation supplied by Iran. The location of the workshops is unknown, though Hamas has displayed their production on Gaza television stations.[6][7]
Katushya – a Soviet Grad rocket,[8] first used in 2006 in a strike that killed two Israeli Bedouin Arabs; at the time the Katushya's range exceeded the Qassam.[9] Soviet designation for the rocket originally was M-21-OF, later changed to 9M22.
KN-103 – rocket referenced in threat by Fatah,[10] use and existence unknown
M-302 (M302), Palestinian designation R160 (R-160) – a Chinese designed, Syrian made rocket, used in attacks on cities near Jerusalem[11][12][13] and Haifa[1]
Qassam (or Kassam) – a Gazan produced rocket used by Hamas[8]
Qassam 1 – weighs 35 kilograms and is 180 centimeters long[14]
Qassam 2 – weighs 40 kilograms and is 180 centimeters long[14]
Qassam 3 – weighs 50 kilograms and is 220 centimeters long[14]
Qassam 4 – weighs 40–50 kilograms and is 244 centimeters long[14]
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As of July 2014[update] Palestinian attacks on Israel using rockets have killed 28 people, mostly civilians, and injured more than 1,900 people, but their main effect is their creation of widespread psychological trauma and disruption of daily life among the Israeli populace.[16] Medical studies in Sderot, the Israeli city closest to the Gaza Strip, have documented a post-traumatic stress disorder incidence among young children of almost 50%, as well as high rates of depression and miscarriage.[17][18][19]
Israel Iron Dome is Israel's first line of defense against Palestinian rockets, demonstrating an effectiveness of around 90%.[20]
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