OVERVIEW: The Qassam 2 is an unguided, short-range, surface-to-surface rocket developed for area bombardment with a high-explosive warhead. It offers improved range and payload over the Qassam 1 and is manually launched from improvised rails.

DETAILS: The Qassam 2 is a Palestinian-manufactured artillery rocket created by Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades around 2002. It features a larger steel airframe, solid fuel motor, and a high-explosive warhead weighing approximately 6 to 8 kg. The rocket has a maximum range of 8 to 12 kilometers, depending on launch conditions, and remains spin-stabilized with no guidance. It is built using basic materials, including fertilizer-based explosives, and is produced in underground or hidden workshops in Gaza.

Compared to the Qassam 1, the Qassam 2 significantly increased lethality and stand-off distance, enabling attacks deeper into Israeli territory. It became the most widely used version until the introduction of the Qassam 3.

It is launched from static or portable rails placed in concealed areas, programmed solely by elevation and azimuth. Launchers are typically abandoned post-firing to avoid counterstrikes.

NOTE:
IOC: 2002
Operators: Palestine
Platforms: Ground-based improvised launch rails or static mounts
Conflict used in: Israeli–Palestinian Conflict (2002–present)

SOURCE:
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR): https://unidir.org ; Small Arms Survey: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org ; International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) ; Israeli Ministry of Defense Reports