The Israeli army is awaiting orders from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to invade the Gaza Strip by land. The first phase of the plan to overthrow Hamas began on October 7 with a “military campaign that included bombings,” according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. [aéreos]“, to which the enclave has been subjected in the last two weeks and which has already claimed more than 5,000 lives. For the next step, which is a ground invasion, the troops are preparing their state-of-the-art military technology from the border. Drones, surveillance devices and especially tanks will be fundamental parts of the invasion, which has been delayed compared to initial expectations.
Once the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) receives this approval, it will have one of the greatest strengths of any army: the Merkava IV tanks and their newest variant, known as the Barak, which was introduced this year. Its appeal stems from its innovation, with production and assembly occurring almost entirely in Israel, with the exception of some parts made in America, Germany and Belgium. These battle tanks are equipped with advanced cameras and sensors to detect possible threats. In addition, they have a mission computer that uses artificial intelligence and a system called Trophy that serves as a shield against missile attacks. The Army claims that these vehicles “would bring any other tank to its knees.” According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Israel’s tank fleet numbers more than 2,200 units, although Merkava IVs make up only a fifth.
Omar Dostri, a national security expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, claims that these advanced vehicles are crucial to “destroying targets that have not been eliminated by airstrikes,” he writes via email. Furthermore, he argues, they will be part of the land incursion into Gaza to ensure “greater security against rocket launches.” The expert highlights one of its main advantages: “Its protection system is particularly advantageous in urban combat scenarios.”
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Although Israel has one of the most powerful armies in the Middle East, the battle that Israel wants to wage has very complex characteristics. Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, functions as a local and defensive force. In addition, it will face troops who have not entered the Gaza Strip since 2014. In nearly a decade, the militia has certainly improved its attack tactics and increased the number of hiding places, experts say. “Hamas can set traps and ambushes for IDF ground troops, mine streets with explosives, or use snipers in the narrower streets where these vehicles pass,” Dostri explains.
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Gian Gentile, a retired American colonel and researcher at the RAND Analysis Center, agrees that ground combat will be close combat. “Hamas will probably fight in small teams of two or three people, guerrilla-style, so they can easily hide and set up improvised traps,” he said by telephone. According to 2022 estimates by the IISS, the Ezedin al-Qasam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, had 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers. The expert explains about the Merkava IV: “They are easy to drive.” With two weeks of training, any soldier could do it.” The real challenge lies in the maneuvers: In addition to the mountains of rubble from the air strikes, there are the obstacles that Hamas can erect, which is why the expert considers additional support from outside to be necessary.
Multidimensional operation
Another difficulty for the Israeli army is the Hamas-controlled underground tunnel system, the so-called Gaza Metro. The network, which the militia says extends 500 kilometers beneath the tiny territory of the Gaza Strip, acts as a refuge, command post and means of transportation without being detected by Israeli surveillance systems. “There are devices that monitor heat or noise, but also the complex geology of the area and the infrastructure built on top of it.” [del metro] “It makes it difficult to attack accurately,” Scott Savitz, an engineer and senior analyst also at the RAND center, said via video call.
According to researcher Gentile, the tanks are intended to destroy the entrances and exits to these tunnels. However, it has been shown that access points are often constructed under buildings where civilians are present. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, denounced last year that one of these tunnels ran under one of its schools, a fact it described as a “loophole” in international law. Operation Mighty Cliff, which Israel conducted for two months in 2014, was intended to render this network unusable. However, according to Hamas, the extent of the destruction was minimal.
So are tanks enough for the offensive? Experts believe that despite its offensive power and security system, the Israeli army must carry out a “multidimensional operation” if it wants to achieve its goal. “In addition to tanks, infantry and special forces will also have to rely on artillery in addition to air and sea attacks,” suggests Dostri. Gentile has a similar opinion: “To free the Hamas militiamen from the tanks, infantry support is necessary.”
As soon as the attack on the “Hamas infrastructure” from the enclave is over, the Israeli army will begin the second phase, known as “system stabilization,” the defense minister said on Friday. In this phase, there will be attacks of “lower intensity aimed at eliminating strongholds of resistance,” meaning troops will remain in Gaza to put an end to the insurgent groups, according to the Israeli army’s version.
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