Myth-busting Israel Defense Force🧵
Many have seen the video of Hama fighters attacking Israeli tanks from point blank range.
Now another video emerged showing Hamas fighters attacking a Namer APC.
Again, with no supporting Israeli infantry in sight, why is that?
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To understand the current Israeli urban warfare doctrine you have to look to where it came from.
All the major conflicts Israel have fought in the past were quick, high intensity wars, fought in open terrain.
From the Sinai to the Golan Heights.
The focus on these terrains is reflected in the IDF's force structure.
It has an ridiculously high ratio of armored brigades to infantry brigades.
🔸Pre 1970s, it was 2 tank brigades for every 1 infantry brigades.
🔸Now, it's 1 tank brigades for every 2 infantry brigades.
Even though the numbers are flipped, and more focus placed on infantry, the amount of amor is still very high.
From this, we can describe the Israeli urban warfare doctrine as an armored demolition team.
It's centered around the heavily armored Namer APC(armored personnel carrier) and the Puma combat engineer vehicle.
Attach some Merkava tanks and armored bulldozers, forms the "combined arms" (heavily armored) approach to urban warfare by the IDF.
Israeli infantry are encouraged to use the heavily armored Namer APC as a safe bastion.
In a stressful situation, the average infantry tend to crowd around places where they feel the safest, instead where they should be.
More so, if permissive by the doctrine they were taught
Since the 2nd intifada and 2nd Lebanon war that forced the IDF to form their current urban warfare doctrine.
It has never been tested at a large scale until this current conflict.
So Israel is going into Gaza basically blind, with an untested doctrine.
The ever present myth of an experienced IDF that's pragmatic and light on its feet, is not an entirely accurate picture.
It may be true 40 years ago, but it's certainly not the case today, when most of their experience are gained dealing with kids throwing rocks in the West Bank
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