Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip have completely destroyed one of the few Merkava 4 Barak main battle tanks in service with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), photos posted to social networks on November 15 revealed.
The photos, which were reportedly taken somewhere in northern Gaza, show the remains of the so-called fifth generation tank after it was shredded into pieces with its heavy turret thrown several meters away from what is left from its large chassis.
Hebrew media said that the tank was targeted with a heavy explosive device and that three of its four-man crew were killed.
The Barak, which entered service with the IDF in September of last year, is equipped with an upgraded Trophy active protection system, 360-degree day/night camera coverage for boosted situational awareness, a helmet-mounted display for the tank commander, and new sensors enabling it to independently acquire targets and strike them rapidly. It also has enhanced armor on top of the turret, providing more protection to the crew against drone strikes.
The first batch of the Barak, made up of just three tanks, was delivered to the 52nd Armored Battalion of the IDF’s 401st Brigade. It is unclear if any other unit has been equipped with the tank since then. A single tank could cost as much as $5.85 million.
The IDF does not provide any details on its material losses in Gaza. Nevertheless, a report by the Maariv newspaper from last June revealed that 500 armored vehicles of the military were damaged or destroyed during ground operations in the Strip.
In recent weeks, Palestinian fighters hit dozens of additional vehicles after the IDF launched a new offensive in northern Gaza. Several Merkava tanks were completely destroyed, some with explosive devices made up of unexploded Israeli aerial bombs.
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no comment from snowden cuz today is shabbat