Israel's vaunted tanks are succumbing to Hezbollah's powerful missiles

AP ^ | Aug. 4, 2006 | Benjamin Harvey

[robert jones]

JERUSALEM – Hezbollah's sophisticated anti-tank missiles are perhaps the guerrilla group's deadliest weapon in Lebanon fighting, with their ability to pierce Israel's most advanced tanks.

Experts say this is further evidence that Israel is facing a well-equipped army in this war, not a ragtag militia.

Hezbollah has fired Russian-made Metis-M anti-tank missiles and owns European-made Milan missiles, the army confirmed on Friday.

In the last two days alone, these missiles have killed seven soldiers and damaged three Israeli-made Merkava tanks – mountains of steel that are vaunted as symbols of Israel's military might, the army said. Israeli media say most of the 44 soldiers killed in four weeks of fighting were hit by anti-tank missiles.

[Eye of Unk]

I have a hobby of building modern era tanks of all sorts, the Merkava is actually better than the M1 Abrams in several respects in regards to urban warfare, it has a rear hatch for egress for a squad of soldiers and its armour is actually quite good. The Abrahms is a blitzkrieg assault type of tank, it was meant to go head to head with the very best of the Russian tanks and shoot on the run of which it has no equal.
The Merkava unfortunately is a victim of technology that the Hezbolla is being given to from Iran and further on from Russia. We probably have been working with Israel for applied anti-missile armour packs for the Merkava, these are basically explosive directional packs bolted to the sides, front and rear to counter explode upon impact with an incoming missile. I would think right now the IDF is considering using depleted uranium armour that is being used on the Abrahms.
I fondly remember reading a scifi book series called BOLOS, makes me wonder if actually the future of tank warfare will be a self aware thinking tank.

[FreedomPoster]

>>Wouldn't catch me in a tank...one minute you're cruising along, blowing up stuff, then poof, molten metal and shards bouncing around inside. They're good for getting behind though.

How much do you know about reactive armor?

[verity]

"Again, not trying to get a fight started."

Yes, you are! ;-)

[LibLieSlayer]

press modus operandi... USA bad, Bush bad, Iraq failure, Afghanistan failure, US economy tanking, all evil stems from Conservatives, and Israel is losing. I wonder how hot hell will be for these lying (press) POS demons?!

LLS

[Steel Wolf]

It's not that the tanks are being 'neutralized', the issue is that the more advanced Hizbullah's capabilities become, the more Israel's tactics will appear to be real warfighting.

Fighting a militia in urban terrain is one thing. Fighting a well equipped army street to street often involves leveling the street and everything on it. Artillery will be used to soften up every advance, followed by a crushing blow of armor and infantry. There won't be anything surgical about it. This will produce an environment of flattened villages and burned out cities.

If Hizbullah is trying to create an environment where the people of south Lebannon are turned into refugees, with no homes to return to, and are not allowed to return anyway for security reasons, they're well on their way.

[leadpenny]

Seriously, complaining about the media is like complaining about the weather.

[Dark Skies]

The fighting wont stop by killing Hezballah , but by taking the war to whomsoever is the supplier of the weapons.

I would imagine the U.S. and Israel are trying to figure out a way to lure Iran into a trap so that they invite an attack that doesn't also invite support from Russia and China.

You are absolutely correct, however, why fight their military when you can destroy their mothership.

[MaDeuce]

I think robots and UAVs are the future of warfare. As weapons have become increasingly powerful it's very difficult now to make attacks on manned vehicles survivable for the crew. Send in the UAVs and bots.

I always thought the Israelis had M1 Abram tanks? Which are suppose to be the toughest in the world? Well maybe the robots would be good, but we need GOOD robots like model T101 Human Depopulator units.

[Dark Skies]

This is the sort of article that serves as cheerleading for the Hezbos. I can just picture it being clipped and shared up and down the line: "See! We're winning! I told you we were!"

Yep. But there is a silver lining in that this kind of article also quiets the whining about "disproportionate response."

[DustyMoment]

I tend to disbelieve this story since this information has not appeared in any of the pro-Hezbollah MSM. Somebody at the AP is sitting at home in the 'jammies putting out creative writing exercises to try to lower the morale of Israelis and Israeli forces currently kicking Hezbollah's butt.

[Salem]

---

Zec 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.





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[kindred]

[You dont have to be an expert to know that this is evidence that they are well supplied by another country whi is really behind terrorists. Hezballah hasnt bought these weapons legitimately, they arent a country, they are supplied by forces behind the scenes who encourage them in their terrorist ways. The fighting wont stop by killing Hezballah , but by taking the war to whomsoever is the supplier of the weapons.]

Other country is Russia supplying Iran through Syria and these are obvious facts. What fascinates me is the biblical prophecy of Israel being attacked by Gog and Magog,Meschech and Tubal, all places that are in modern day Russia. I belive we may be seeing the stage being set for fulfillment of bible prohecy which the Lord Jesus warned about in the latter days, Israel being the centerpoint of biblical fulfillment and method that God will divide men on.
Fascinating that so many who call good evil and evil good are anti semites.

[ReignOfError]

With every advance in armor an advance in anti-armor weapons is close behind.

AP, 1066: "Normans' vaunted knights are succumbing to Saxons' powerful crossbows"

[MrEdd]

Maybe yes, maybe no. Battleships have all but disappeared. Perhaps nanoengineered armor will maintain the dominance of the tank.

It's No. Period.

Semper Fidelis

[river rat]

"Seriously, complaining about the media is like complaining about the weather."

You're wrong...

Complaining, and explaining the reason for complaining -- has significantly damaged and diminished the credibility of the "leftist/anti-America media".

The ABCNBCMSNBCCNNCBS credibility is going into the toilet.
The three most leftist rags in the nation are losing subscribers and laying off staff.
Leftist "icons" and "newsreaders" are dropping like flies.
Poking media in the eye with a sharp stick -- is WORKING!

Now then - if you would like to argue the elements within this specific article that I believe show either ignorance or bias, I have the time.

Semper Fi

[MNJohnnie]

Could Asso Propaganda be more hysteric and melodramatic? 44 soldiers in 4 weeks. That is one of the most pathetic performance by a guerrilla force in world history. But what does Asso Propaganda do? Spin it as this massive dramatic victory for the terrorists. What utter and complete nonsense. The number of people we lose in training accidents each year will be a higher number then Hizbollah will manage to kill in battle

[leadpenny]

You can get your back up if you like, jarhead, but that wasn't my intent.

I'm not the one complaining about the AP article. Like I said before, what's the alternative and let's see your re-write?

[Dave Elias]

"Well maybe the robots would be good, but we need GOOD robots like model T101 Human Depopulator units."

Trouble is we'd more likely end up with ED-209s for the very reasons noted in that satirical film.

[Turbo Pig]

the Israelis had a similar problem in the '73 war at one point-I believe it was against the Syrians

It was the Egyptians. They deployed massive amounts of Russian made Sagger missles. They came as a big shock to the Iraelis, and losses were high in the opening stages of the war.

[Turbo Pig]

Wouldn't catch me in a tank..

They just a little too conspicuous, aren't they? Seems to draw a lot of unwanted attention to themselves:-)