Israeli Ground Forces Take Major Losses in Clashes with Hezbollah: Multiple Merkava Tanks Destroyed
Middle East , Ground
The Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah has reported multiple successes during engagements Israeli Army units, including the destruction of multiple Merkava IV main battle tanks. While Israeli authorities have imposed strict censorship regarding possible losses, Hezbollah has published footage confirming many of its claims, including the destruction of multiple types of Israeli armoured vehicles. After Israel and the United States initiated a full scale military assault against Iran on February 28, Hezbollah the following day opened a second front against Israel, with footage in early March showing strikes on Israeli tanks. These ambushes have been conducted while Hezbollah launches rockets and ballistic missiles against a range of targets within Israel, forcing the country to carry out mass evacuations. The paramilitary group’s strikes appear to be closely coordinated with Iranian ballistic missile attacks.
The latest setbacks to Israeli operations follow reports that Hezbollah had deployed its Radwan special forces for counteroffensives against Israeli Army units in Southern Lebanon. These elite units were notably not previously deployed for engagements with Israeli forces, and after having honed their capabilities for years to support counterinsurgency operations in Syria, they have been widely assessed to be highly capable. Hezbollah units have made extensive use of ambush tactics to launch coordinated attacks against Israeli armour, and on March 19 reported the disabling or destruction of six Merkava tanks between 12:05am and 1:30am during a series of engagements. Israel and the United States have both lobbied their strategic partner Syria to open a second front against Hezbollah, with a military buildup by Syrian Islamist militias having been staged on the Lebanese border to take pressure off Israeli forces.
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