Terrorists now have Ballistic Missiles.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Something I had been wondering is why dont Israels traditional enemies use scuds against air bases. It is rumoured that part of the Chineese strategy against US air force is to use their vast missile arsenal to neutralize nearby air bases in opening stages of a conflict. Exposed aircraft in runways would be a loss and aircraft safe inside fortified hangers would be useless during valuable opening hours of a war untill the runway is cleared off dangerous fragments and unexploded munition. Israel is a small area in range of virtually every weapon deserving the term tactical ballistic missile. The core of Israeli military might is their air force. Take their jets down for a few days and Israelis would be lot more easier to battle. The IAF is unbeatable in the air. Yet even the mightiest air force is helpless if caught on the ground.

One reason is simply that they did not have them the last time Israel and any actual national army were engaged in major combat. Other reason is that the SCUD is not a very accurate weapon and an effective strike against something as small as an airbase would require a large amount of them, which Syria still does not have. The Soviets planned to use them in large numbers to compensate their poor accuracy, but from current operators only North Korea and possibly Iran have such numbers available.

[Starglider]

Other reason is that the SCUD is not a very accurate weapon and an effective strike against something as small as an airbase would require a large amount of them

With a unitary warhead, sure, but for attacking an airbase with non-precision weapons wouldn't you use airbust-scattered mines, bomblets and if possible chemical agents? The objective being to degrade and suppress enemy air strike capability rather than knock it out. If those submunitions fit into howitzer shells they should fit into SRBM warheads. Though I suppose terrorist militias would have a hard time obtaining anything that sophisticated, over and above the difficulty of obtaining and firing the SRBMs.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Weren't most of Iraq's SCUDs fitted with chemical or biological warheads, if not cluster munitions? I could imagine a state like them affording it, but the ones being allegedly delivered here are more basic models. Not that even a basic SCUD rocket is a thing you'd want aimed at you. Katyushas are lethal enough if they splash down on a school or something, without flinging something more substantial

[Marcus Aurelius]

Weren't most of Iraq's SCUDs fitted with chemical or biological warheads, if not cluster munitions? I could imagine a state like them affording it, but the ones being allegedly delivered here are more basic models.

The SCUD-B and SCUD-C missiles do not have submunition warheads and as far as it's known neither do the North Korean and Iranian copies. They do have chemical warheads, which might work against an airbase at least initially if the there has been no preparation against chemical warfare. I do not know how well the Israelis are prepared for such a threat, but almost certainly they have made some preparations.