JSPES, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Winter 2006 )
pp. 399 - 414

Missile Proliferation in the Middle East

Gawdat Bahgat

The Indiana University of Pennsylvania

In the mid-2006s the world's attention focused on the military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and noted the wide use of artillery rockets against northern Israel that was one of the most prominent features of this war. This essay seeks to examine the strategic implications of that conflict. The author first examines the history of Israel's defense strategies, following which he surveys missile proliferation in Israel, Iran and other Middle Eastern states. He concludes with a discussion of the changes in the Middle East security landscape that have resulted from the 2006 War, and the potential role of nuclear weapons in future Middle Eastern conflicts