Israel is the only country in the world that lives under the shadow of an ongoing and publicly declared threat against its very existence - a threat which has warranted almost no international attention or reaction.
The threat against Israel emanating from Iran comes in addition to Israel's vulnerability to short-range artillery rockets, which have struck its territory in the past and continue to do so in the present.
The most tangible threats stem from the Katyusha rockets launched by terrorist groups from within Lebanon (the Hizbullah and various Palestinian factions) capable of striking throughout northern Israel, and the Kassam rockets which are currently limited to the Gaza Strip. Most of the Kassam rockets are locally manufactured and have an approximate maximum range of 9 kilometers (6 miles), although some have a range of 12.5 kilometers (7 ¾ miles). In addition, a number of standard 122 mm rockets with a range of 20.4 kilometers (12 2/3 miles) have also been launched.
Since 2006 there has been a substantial increase in rocket fire compared with 2001-2005 (222 in 2005 and 268 in 2004). There was also a significant increase in the amount of mortar shell fire, another continuing trend. Rocket and mortar shell fire is relatively less lethal than suicide bombing attacks but has a devastating effect on the daily life and sense of security of the 200,000 residents of the western Negev.
1,079 rockets and over 1,215 mortar bombs fired from the Gaza Strip struck southern Israel from January-July 2008.
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