Israel's assault on a Lebanese town has failed, marking the first such setback in decades, allegedly backed by a major power!
Recently, Israel's Haaretz and the U.S. publication Military Observer independently reported that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations targeting Rchaf in southern Lebanon ended in failure—combat proved far bloodier than expected, with slow progress and numerous "Merkava" tanks destroyed or damaged. Since early March, when ground operations began, Lebanon claims to have destroyed or disabled between 70 and 100 Israeli Merkava tanks.
Previously, Merkava tanks had enjoyed near-unbeatable success in this region. So what exactly has changed now?
Israel suspects Russian involvement behind the scenes, primarily due to the extensive use of FPV drones by Lebanese fighters—a tactic strikingly similar to those employed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia has accumulated vast experience in drone warfare during the war in Ukraine, including techniques for locating and attacking armored targets, as well as evading active defense systems.
It is possible that Lebanon received tactical guidance based on this knowledge. Furthermore, Iran has supplied Hezbollah with anti-tank missiles like the "Almas," specifically designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the Merkava’s armor, significantly enhancing their effectiveness.
On March 26, an IDF armored convoy was ambushed by Lebanese forces along a narrow corridor between the towns of Tiberias and Gintara in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese deliberately allowed Israeli reconnaissance bulldozers to pass through, luring the entire armored column into a kill zone before launching coordinated attacks from multiple directions using FPV drones—striking from the front, flanks, and rear simultaneously.
Lebanese sources claim they destroyed 21 Merkava tanks that day—the worst single-day tank losses suffered by Israel in over 40 years. While the Israel Defense Forces have not confirmed specific numbers, they did acknowledge several soldier casualties and urgently adjusted tactics, suspending their deep-attack armored advance plan.
Knife Brother believes Israel is still resting on past achievements and hasn't grasped that modern warfare has already accelerated into the drone era. It seems clear: whoever fails to update their tactical mindset and keep pace with the times will be left behind—and suffer the consequences.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861229477844992/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.