The Israeli army is awaiting the order from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to invade the Gaza Strip by land. The first phase of the plan to overthrow Hamas, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, began on October 7 with a “military campaign that includes bombings [aéreos]” to which the enclave has been subjected in the last two weeks and which has already claimed more than 5,000 deaths. For the next step, which consists of a ground invasion, the troops prepare their cutting-edge military technology from the border. Drones, surveillance devices and especially tanks will be fundamental pieces for the incursion, which has been delayed compared to initial expectations.
Once the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) obtain this approval, they will have one of the greatest strengths of any army: the Merkava IV tanks and their latest variant, known as Barak and which was introduced this year. Its appeal is based on its innovation, almost entirely Israeli in production and assembly, except for some American, German and Belgian manufactured parts. These battle tanks incorporate 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 force any other tank to its knees.” According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Israel’s tank fleet exceeds 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, maintains that these modern vehicles are crucial for “destroying targets that have not been eliminated during airstrikes,” he says by email. In addition, he argues, they will be part of the land incursion into Gaza to provide “greater security against missile launches.” As one of its main assets, this expert highlights: “Its protection system is particularly beneficial in urban combat scenarios.”
Despite having one of the most powerful armies in the Middle East, the battle that Israel seeks to undertake has very complex characteristics. Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, acts as a local and defensive force. Furthermore, it will face troops that have not entered the Strip since 2014. In almost a decade, experts believe, the militia has surely improved its attack tactics and increased the places where they can hide. “Hamas can set traps and ambushes for IDF ground forces, as well as mine roads with explosives or resort to snipers in the narrower streets where these vehicles will pass,” explains Dostri.
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Gian Gentile, a retired American colonel and researcher at the RAND analysis center, agrees that the ground combat will be fought hand-to-hand. “Hamas will probably fight in small teams of two or three people in a guerrilla style, so they can easily hide and set improvised traps,” he says by call. According to IISS estimates published in 2022, the Ezedin al Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, had between 15,000 and 20,000 troops. Regarding the Merkava IV, the expert declares that “they are easy to drive. With two weeks of training, any soldier could do it.” The real challenge is in the maneuver: to the mountains of rubble left by the air strikes are added the obstacles that Hamas can build, which is why the expert sees additional support from outside as necessary.
Multidimensional operation
Another difficulty facing the Israeli army is the underground tunnel system, known as the meter of Gaza, controlled by Hamas. The network, which the militia claims extends for 500 kilometers beneath the tiny territory of the Strip, functions as a refuge, command post and method of moving without being detected by Israel’s surveillance systems. “There are devices that monitor heat or noise, but the complex geology of the area and the infrastructure built on top [del metro] “It makes it difficult to attack with precision,” says Scott Savitz, an engineer and senior analyst also at the RAND center, via video call.
The tanks will be used, according to researcher Gentile, to destroy the entrances and exits of these tunnels. However, it has been shown that access points are often built under buildings where civilians are present. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, denounced last year that one of these tunnels passed under one of its schools, a fact it described as a “gap” in international law. Operation Mighty Cliff, undertaken by Israel in 2014 for two months, was intended to render this network useless. However, the magnitude of the destruction, according to Hamas, was minimal.
So are tanks enough for the offensive? Experts believe that, despite its attack power and security system, the Israeli army must engage in a “multidimensional operation” if it wants to achieve its objective. “Along with tanks, infantry and special forces must rely on artillery, in addition to air and naval attacks,” Dostri proposes. Gentile has a similar opinion: “Infantry support is needed to remove the Hamas militiamen from the backs of the tanks.”
Once the attack on the “Hamas infrastructure” from within the enclave has ended, the Israeli army, the Defense Minister said this Friday, will begin the second phase, called “system stabilization.” This stage will have attacks of “less intensity, with the aim of eliminating strongholds “resistance”, that is, troops will remain in Gaza to eliminate the insurgent groups, according to the version of the Israeli army.
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