During the course of the Gulf War (beg. 17 January 1991), Saddam Hussein fired 39 SCUD missiles at Israel in 19 volleys. Miraculously, although many were wounded and much destroyed, only 13 people died as a result of the attacks. The Israeli Defense Forces made it known that "[i]t was Baghdad's declared goal to torch half the state of Israel."

During these days of terror and fear, missiles fell randomly from the sky onto apartment buildings and shops, sirens split the night sending Israelis racing from their beds to sealed rooms and bomb shelters, placing their infants in gas tents and donning gas masks against the threat of chemical warfare. "Codeword Viper" documents those days of chaos with full-color, up-close footage of the consequences the Iraqi dictator's wrath had upon this tiny country of brave soldiers, how they responded and coped, and how life went on regardless.