Qassam rocket
The
Qassam (and newer
Qassam 2) rocket is a simple, homemade steel
rocket filled with explosives, developed by
Hamas during the
Al-Aqsa Intifada. Both models lack a guidance system, and the larger rocket (the Qassam-2)) has a range of only 5 miles with a 20 pound payload. Nonetheless, its use shocked the Israeli military and public, who are used to the Palestinians lacking any method of long-range warfare.
Hizbollah, for contrast, has long shelled Israel from
Lebanon using the
Katyusha rocket. The Qassam rockets have been used to attack various
Israeli towns, in some areas such as
Sderot in the
Negev and some
Israeli settlements in
Gaza shelling occurs almost daily, causing large scale property damage, serious injury and occasional loss of life.
Israel has tried to stop the development of such rockets by extensive crackdowns on suspected militants, and by the destruction of facilities (such as metal shops) which could be used for their construction.
See also: Al-Aqsa Intifada, Hezbollah, Katyusha
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