Conflict catalog

2012 Gaza-Israel Conflict: Weapons and Equipment

October-November 2012 Gaza-Israel escalation covering Gaza-based rocket and mortar fire, Israeli military operations, and the November Operation Pillar of Defense campaign.

The 2012 Gaza-Israel Conflict covers the October-November 2012 escalation between Israel and Hamas and other Gaza-based armed groups. The catalog is scoped to direct weapon evidence from rocket and mortar fire, Israeli strikes, and the November Operation Pillar of Defense campaign.

This catalog tracks weapon systems directly documented in the October-November 2012 Gaza-Israel escalation.

2 weapon systems

Conflict Actors

Israel / Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups

Israel

1 weapon system in this catalog

Context

Status
Published catalog
Location
Gaza Strip and southern Israel
Countries
Israel, Palestinian territories
Regions
Gaza Strip, Southern Israel
Domains
land, missile strikes, rocket artillery, air strikes

Weapon entries should cite system-specific evidence for this catalog. Gaza-based indirect-fire systems need direct source support for a rocket, mortar, launcher, or munition identification rather than relying on general descriptions of rocket fire.

Map

Gaza Strip and southern Israel

Open map

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Timeline

Key Events

  1. Gaza rocket and mortar fire reaches southern Israel

    Small Arms Survey describes an apparent Fadjr-1 remnant from southern Israel on a day when rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza.

    Sources: Small Arms Survey Rogue Rocketeers

  2. Operation Pillar of Defense begins

    IDF campaign material dates the start of Operation Pillar of Defense to November 14, 2012.

    Sources: IDF Operation Pillar of Defense

  3. Ceasefire ends the November escalation

    OCHA described the November escalation as ending with a ceasefire on November 21, 2012.

    Sources: OCHA November 2012 Escalation Fact Sheet

Phases

Oct 24, 2012 - Nov 13, 2012

October rocket-fire escalation

Rocket and mortar fire from Gaza and Israeli responses preceded the November campaign phase.

Nov 14, 2012 - Nov 21, 2012

Operation Pillar of Defense

Israel conducted Operation Pillar of Defense while Gaza-based armed groups fired rockets toward Israel until a ceasefire took effect.

Weapons

2012 Gaza-Israel Conflict Weapon Systems

Category

Air Defense

Systems that contest aircraft, missiles, helicopters, and drones.

1/1
Iron Dome air-defense system, Mobile short-range air-defense system, Air DefenseAir DefenseIron Dome air-defense systemMobile short-range air-defense systemSide: IsraelRole: Short-range rocket air defenseBuilt: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems / Israel Aerospace Industries / IsraelIron Dome is an Israeli mobile short-range air-defense system built by Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries to detect, track, and intercept rockets, artillery threats, and some UAVs before they hit populated areas. Known in Hebrew as Kippat Barzel, it became operational in 2011 and has documented combat use from the 2012 Gaza-Israel Conflict through later Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran-related fighting, including the April 2024 Iran-Israel exchange.

Category

Artillery

Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.

1/1
Haseb/Fajr-1 107 mm rocket, Unguided 107 mm artillery rocket, ArtilleryArtilleryHaseb/Fajr-1 107 mm rocketUnguided 107 mm artillery rocketSide: Hamas and Gaza-based armed groupsRole: Short-range unguided rocket fireBuilt: Aerospace Industries Organization / Shahid Bagheri Industries / IranThe Haseb, also identified as the Fajr-1 or Fadjr-1, is an Iranian 107 mm unguided artillery rocket derived from the Chinese Type 63 family and associated with Iran's AIO/Shahid Bagheri production base. Open-source munitions reporting links apparent or probable examples to Gaza rocket fire in 2012 and 2023, both with model-identification caveats.

Conflict Sources

This conflict record is intentionally narrow and exists because system-specific weapon evidence tied a Fadjr-1-family rocket remnant to the October-November 2012 Gaza-Israel escalation. Entries should continue to use direct weapon-specific sourcing.

  • Small Arms Survey Rogue RocketeersPublisher: Small Arms Survey | Note: Supports the October 24, 2012 Fadjr-1 remnant evidence and Gaza rocket-fire context used by connected weapon entries. | Accessed: 2026-07-01
  • OCHA November 2012 Escalation Fact SheetPublisher: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs | Note: Supports November 2012 Gaza-Israel escalation context and ceasefire timing. | Accessed: 2026-07-01
  • IDF Operation Pillar of DefensePublisher: Israel Defense Forces | Note: Supports the Operation Pillar of Defense campaign name and start date used for the November 2012 phase. | Accessed: 2026-07-01