Well, pretty much so.
THAT’S a pretty piece of machinery!!!!
The thing about the Merkava is that its part tank, part troop carrier. The gun sits a bit farther back than other modern tanks, the engine is mounted in the front, and the back has doors that open up to allow easy entry/departure of crew and troops carried in it.
Its a very capable nasty beast in large open spaces, but it’s also a huge target for soviet tank buster missiles that were provided to Hezbollah via Iran during the last war. Once Isreal started moving tanks deeper into southern Lebannon, Hezbollah took a few of them out with these missiles hitting them as they moved in columns from the sides.
Given its size, its also tricky to manuever in urban environments like gaza.
The threat of Hamas getting its hands on these types of missiles is part of the reason Israel has been soo strict with its blockade via sea and the Egyptian border.
Well, pretty much so.