Unprecedented leaked footage showing the complete destruction of a Merkava 4 tank—a symbol of Israel’s military pride—has been widely circulated on various platforms.
The images reveal the turret, which houses the main cannon, medium-caliber machine guns, surveillance, tracking systems, and missile defense mechanisms, completely detached from the rest of the tank.
The body of the tank appears to have undergone a catastrophic explosion, leaving it unrecognizable—a pile of mangled metal with broken tracks and scattered components, signaling the scale of the blast.
Resistance Strikes in Northern Gaza
Activists attributed the tank’s destruction to the Palestinian resistance in northern Gaza, an area witnessing intense clashes where the resistance fiercely counters Israeli military operations. This event underscores the effectiveness of the resistance’s tactics in a region facing unrelenting aggression.
Previously, the Al-Qassam Brigades had obtained leaked footage from a soldier’s camera showing Merkava tanks being destroyed using Yassin 105 shells, Shawaz explosives, and barrel bombs. Despite these significant losses, the Israeli military has consistently concealed the extent of the damage to its equipment and forces, avoiding public acknowledgment of the severe impact.
Admission of Tank Shortages
In July, the Israeli army, for the first time, admitted a shortage of tanks due to Palestinian resistance strikes in Gaza. The admission came in response to a petition filed with the Israeli Supreme Court regarding the inclusion of female soldiers in armored units. The army cited the shortage of operational tanks and qualified trainers as reasons for postponing the integration of female recruits.
The Chief of Staff of the Israeli army also decided to delay the experiment of deploying female combatants in armored units until November 2025, pointing to a critical shortage of ammunition and tanks damaged during prolonged battles.
Resistance Impact on Military Strategy
This shortage reflects a broader acknowledgment of the resistance’s effectiveness in disrupting Israeli military operations. The events of October 7, 2023, highlighted this reality, where the resistance inflicted substantial losses on Israeli forces, including the destruction of tanks, depletion of ammunition, and casualties among soldiers and commanders.
The leaked images, combined with these admissions, challenge the narrative of invincibility surrounding Israel’s Merkava tanks and expose the vulnerabilities of its armored units in the face of a determined resistance.
