Israel’s most advanced operational tank, equipped with a Trophy active protection system, has been captured by Hamas militants.
As Israeli troops continue fighting in various locations and special forces and taking control and cleaning some areas, the first footages of abandoned and captured modern Merkava and Namer combat vehicles have emerged.
Multiple videos of abandoned Merkava Mk4 main battle tank and Namer heavy armored personnel carrier have been published on social media.
The vehicles were left by soldiers behind at their positions along the border during a surprise offensive by the Palestinian militant group Hamas that began on Saturday morning.
‼️🚨🇮🇱🇵🇸 BREAKING: Hamas captured another Merkava IV tank and a Namer heavy APC. pic.twitter.com/AgWZeq5NRF
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) October 7, 2023
The newest Merkava Mk4 and Namer armored personnel carrier had a modern Trophy active protection system. The countermeasure system combines a radar with launchers that shoot a burst of metal pellets, akin to a large shotgun, to destroy incoming anti-tank rockets and missiles.
Starting in 2009, the IDF began fitting Mk 4 variants with the Trophy Active Protection System.
The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday, killing hundreds civilians and soldiers in a surprise assault that combined gunmen penetrating into Israeli towns with a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.