Due to continuing rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on towns and villages in the Israeli south, on 27 December 2008 Israel launched Operation Cast Lead, lasting three weeks, during which the IDF endeavored to destroy terrorist infrastructures in the Gaza Strip, in particular rocket launching capabilities.

While avoiding direct confrontation with the Israeli forces on the ground as much as possible, Hamas and other terrorist organizations continued shooting rockets indiscriminately at Israeli territory throughout the conflict. The range of these attacks was from 10 km or less for the shorter-range mortar shells, and up to 40 km for the longer-range Grad rockets. Rockets fell even in the city of Be'er Sheva, "capital of the Negev" (nearly 40 km from Gaza), and in smaller cities like Ashkelon and Ashdod. But gradually the number of missiles fired diminished, until Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire on 17 January 2009.