Israel's historic six‑day win meets a high-tech adversary
In 1967, Israel won against Egypt in a brief six days, utilizing three divisions. Currently, achieving a similar victory in Gaza, despite having similar forces, remains a challenge. As outlined in "The Washington Post", experts attribute this circumstance to tight territorial construction and possession of anti-tank weapons by Hamas. The growth in military technology is clearly noticeable among Israel's adversaries.
7:33 PM EST, November 12, 2023
In June 1967, during the infamous Six-Day War, Israel commenced attacks on Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Within just six days, Israeli forces took over the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank of Jordan in addition to East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. However, the current situation looks markedly different. Jehoshua Kaliski of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv evaluated the situation as a tough war, noting that Hamas is well-prepared.
Hamas packs up on preparation
On October 31, 2023, an armored vehicle was hit, and nine Israeli soldiers were killed by an anti-tank missile fired by Palestinian fighters. "The Washington Post" reports that Israeli forces, once dealing with Palestinian rebellions faced with stones and Molotov cocktails, now confront laser-guided missiles and anti-tank ammunition.
Hamas combatants have access to an array of weaponry, including PSL sniper rifles from Romania, FN FAL rifles, PKM machine guns, and AK/AKM carbines. They are also equipped with RPG-7 launchers (capable of penetrating armor about 24 inches thick) and YM-2 anti-tank mines (containing roughly 13 pounds of explosives). This anti-tank arsenal is supplied by Iran, as are the guided missiles (ATGM's) RAAD-T, with a range of roughly 2 miles. The latter shows the development of the concept from the 9M14 Malyutka Soviet system, using a semi-automatic guidance system.
In addition to arsenal, Hamas utilizes commercial drones for both reconnaissance and bombing objectives. There are also kamikaze drones: Shehab and Al-Zouari - simple in construction yet possessing significant threat, especially given the cost of anti-aircraft systems needed to counter them. Hamas also employs a revolving air system Mutabar-1, including revolving launchers and projectiles with fuses. For transport, they mainly use armed pick-ups, predominantly of the Toyota brand.
Weapon quantity bears significance
Michael Milstein, an analyst at the University of Tel Aviv's Moshe Dayan Center, observes that the significant element lies not necessarily in the weapon itself, but in its quantity. Over the years, a substantial amount of weaponry, primarily produced by Iran and North Korea, has been smuggled into the Gaza Strip through tunnels, land crossings, and the sea. The simple Al-Jasin launchers were also assembled in underground factories within Gaza.
"The Washington Post" notes that, despite the circumstances, we are dealing with asymmetric warfare. Israel boasts one of the world's best-armed and technologically advanced armies. Although today's Hamas brigades have access to specialized weaponry, they are comparatively weaker. Hamas's propaganda arm released footage of approximately 20 attacks on Israeli tanks and armored vehicles. However, it's unclear whether these attacks resulted in any substantial damage.
Israel developed a defense system termed "Trophy" for its vehicles, employing radar to track incoming ammunition and intercepting it with its own defensive missiles. However, this system struggles with missiles fired from close range. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas's armed wing, claimed his group damaged 160 Israeli vehicles, but experts are unable to confirm these assertions.
The current battle sees the Israeli army confronting the densely constructed city of Gaza, with its plethora of underground tunnels. As the online magazine "Army Recognition" suggests, these tunnels pose a formidable challenge to conventional military operations, disrupting many technological advantages of modern armies. Specialized equipment and tactics are essential in these conditions.
Moreover, "Army Recognition" notes that the dense urban landscape of the Gaza Strip severely limits maneuverability for soldiers and armored vehicles. This environment can disrupt radio signals, leading to potential failures in coordination and control.
Abu Obeida announced, "The Zionist enemy has one of the strongest armies in the world, an army any country in the region could easily defeat, yet it is struggling on Palestinian soil, despite our weak equipment."
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip reported that Israeli bombings and ground attacks have killed over 11,000 people, including numerous women and children. The Israeli army documented that 41 soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the ground invasion in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, a Hamas assault resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis, 318 of whom were soldiers.
