ירי קטיושות מצפון- אנגלית

1. The Home Front Command is one of the four commands of the IDF. The Home Front Command is divided into five regions (congruent with the regions of the Israel Police), and consists of an array of search and rescue personnel, both in their compulsory army service and in the reserves.

2. The functions of the Home Front Command include:

• Being a professional organization in the fields of search and rescue, protection, and hazardous materials.
• Directing the public and emergency personnel in the field of civil defense (via various information channels).
• Helping to strengthen and maintain national resilience in emergencies (by helping find solutions to problems, calming the public).
•  Handling search and rescue missions in Israel (and throughout the world). The search and rescue personnel of the Home Front Command are deployed even now in threatened areas at high alert to respond whenever necessary.

3. The Home Front Command acts jointly with other emergency organizations – the Israel Police, Magen David Adom, firefighters, local authorities and government ministries – in order to save lives, minimize damage, and make sure that life returns to normal as fast as possible.

Hezbollah has a variety of armaments, including anti-tank missiles, mortars, Katyushas, systems for launching long-range missiles, and more.

•  The Katyusha is a surface-to-surface rocket.
• Rocket structure: The rocket is small, and consists of a warhead containing the explosive, a body containing the fuel necessary for the rocket flight, and a tail with a motor. The tail stabilizes the rocket during flight.
• Both the Katyusha and the Qassam are types of rockets. The difference between them is that the Katyusha is a standard weapon manufactured by countries such as Russia and China, while the Qassam is improvised and operated by terrorist organizations. In addition, the precision of the Qassam as compared to that of the Katyusha is relatively low.

Up to a few kilograms.

No. Unlike a missile, it is not possible to insert unconventional means of warfare into the rocket’s warhead.

Based on our estimates, Hezbollah has the capability of reaching the center of the country. The security forces have the capability to cope with threats of various ranges.

1. There are various kinds of surface-to-surface missiles and rockets, but, generally speaking, the differences are as follows:

•  Range (the missile is long-range, the rocket is usually shorter-range).
• Guidance system (the missile is guided, the rocket is not).
• The amount of explosives they carry (the missile can carry hundreds of kilograms of shattering explosives).
• The time it takes to ready a rocket for launching is relatively short (can be achieved using improvised means), while launching a missile is done from a launcher and vehicle, and requires advance preparation.

Terrorist organizations fire rockets at their chosen target from a number of different positions. They also change these positions with great frequency, and are constantly preparing new ones.
The IDF works to locate the sources of rocket fire, and to strike at various terrorist bases of activity.

In some instances, our defense forces identify Katyusha fire and issues a warning (siren), but in some instances, they do not, and then the siren is activated after the firing (false warnings are a possibility).

Not very. A rocket is not very sophisticated. It does not have a guidance system that leads it to its target.

No. Neither the weather nor the time of day affects rocket fire effectiveness.

1. There are two main differences between a rocket and a missile:

• Accuracy: A missile is more accurate than a rocket (because of the guidance system with which it is equipped), and therefore can be aimed at a specific target with a high probability that it will land where intended.
• Range: A missile has a greater range than a rocket.
  

 A rocket might penetrate a concrete structure, but not cause it to collapse. Furthermore, a rocket might penetrate plaster walls and unstable buildings, and cause damage.

The Israel Police, together with the IDF and various emergency personnel (firefighters, Magen David Adom), are all responsible for responding

 
Note: The Hebrew acronym is given at the beginning of the first four definitions:

• 
  HADAB – Security Room: A reinforced room inside the residence built with a concrete shell (8”/20cm. thick) and having a door and a window capable of withstanding shock waves. (Security rooms are built only close to potential areas of conflict.)
  
• MAMAD – Secure Residential Space: A room constructed of concrete inside the residence, and having a door and window constructed of two parts: the external one is of steel and is capable of withstanding shock waves, and the internal one is single-winged, on an axis, and sealed against gases. (These have been constructed in new residences since 1992.)
• MAMAK – Story-wide Secure Space: A concrete-constructed space located in a common area of the story, and intended for use by the residents of a number of apartments. It has a door capable of withstanding shock waves, an emergency rescue opening in the ceiling, and two air hoses in the floor. (These have been constructed in new apartment buildings since 1992.)
• MAMAM – Institutional Secure Space: This is identical to the story-wide secure space, and is located in institutional buildings.
• Secure Room: A room located as far as possible from the direction of the imminent threat of rocket fire. It is best if the room has a minimum of external walls, windows and openings.
• 
  Private Shelter (not requiring one to move from one structure to another): This is constructed with a concrete shell, and is located on the ground floor or in the basement. It has an anti-shock wave steel door, and a steel emergency exit measuring 60x80 cm. (24”x32”), both with rubber sealing strips. It is best to follow the recommendations publicized in the media and choose the secure space based on specific directions for given locations in the country.
• 
  Public Shelter: Similar to the private shelter, but located outside the residence.
• 
  Secure Space: This is a general term including the HADAB, the MAMAD, the MAMAK and the MAMAM.
  

• As part of its response to the threat of rocket attacks, the Home Front Command formulates policies regarding civil defense that the public should follow in the event of an attack.
• These principles have been very carefully examined, and they allow people to choose the solution that is best suited and most available to them, so that they may protect themselves in the face of a given threat.
  

It is important to designate well ahead of time the location you are to enter in the event of rocket fire in all places you frequent with regularity, according to the following list of priorities:

• MAMAD – Residential Secure Space.
• If there is no MAMAD in the building, enter a secure room chosen according to directions.
  In other words, the MAMAD is preferable to a shelter. A shelter is relevant only if it takes you less than one minute (the length of warning given) to reach it, and does not involve exiting the structure you are in (going to another building or going to a public shelter in the street).

 It is important to designate well ahead of time the location you are to enter in the event of rocket fire in all places you frequent with regularity, according to the following list of priorities:

•  MAMAD – Residential Secure Space.
•  If there is no MAMAD in the building, enter the room that is located farthest from the direction of the threat. It is best if this room has a minimum of external walls, windows or opening.
•  If there is no such room, go into the stairwell.

 Residents of the upper floor of a building without a MAMAD must enter the stairwell, and descend one flight of stairs. Getting to the shelter is preferable, but this is not always possible within one minute (the length of warning given). Therefore, in order to avoid injury should the roof of the building sustain a hit, residents of upper floors enter the stairwell, and descend one flight of stairs, thus increasing their level of protection.

If you are indoors:

• Immediately enter the Residential Secure Space (MAMAD), and close the steel window.
•  If there is no MAMAD in the structure, enter the room that is located farthest from the direction of the threat. It is best if this room has a minimum of external walls, windows or opening. If there is no such room, go into the stairwell.
•  Inside the secure space/room, sit on the floor, beneath the height of the window, against an interior wall. Do not sit opposite a window.
•  Residents of the upper floor of a building without a MAMAD must enter the stairwell, and descend one flight of stairs, in order to avoid injury should the roof of the building sustain a hit.

If you are outdoors:

• In a built-up area, enter the nearest structure, and follow the indoors directions.
• If you are in an open area, lie down on your stomach and protect your head with your hands.
  If you are in a vehicle:
• Carefully stop your vehicle at the side of the road, exit the vehicle and enter the nearest shelter
•  In an open area, carefully stop your vehicle at the side of the road, exit the vehicle, lie down on your stomach and protect your head with your hands.

After 10 minutes:
You may exit the secure space, unless you have been otherwise directed.
It is important to stay away from unidentified objects or from a rocket lying on the ground. Keep onlookers away, and immediately notify the police.

Yes, it is possible to give warnings in advance of a rocket hit.
About one minute before the estimated time of impact, a siren is activated. As soon as the siren goes off, the public must act according to Home Front Command directions.