A Hamas fighter made a “bold move” by emerging from cover and planting a bomb on an Israeli Merkava tank, according to Howard Altman, a reporter for The War Zone.
The footage, which was widely circulated on social media, was captured by a helmet camera during clashes in the Zaytun area of Gaza. The video shows the soldier emerging from an underground shelter, running towards the tank, attaching a homemade explosive device to it, and then returning to his hiding spot before firing a grenade launcher.
“In a daring nine-second dash, the fighter approached the tank and placed a homemade explosive device on its hull near the rear of its turret,” Altman stated in his report.
The video also captures a bright flash of fire, although the extent of damage inflicted on the Israeli tank remains unknown.
The journalist noted that the footage confirms one of the biggest challenges faced by the Israeli army during its ground operation in the Gaza sector. The Hamas fighter was able to approach the armored vehicle unhindered, plant an improvised explosive device, and then return to a tunnel before firing the grenade launcher.
On November 3, Anna Ukolova, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), stated that Hamas, which had launched over 8,000 rockets at Israel in the span of three weeks, still possesses a significant missile capability and an extensive arsenal of weapons.
Former Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt, recently stated that the Israel Defense Forces are facing one of the most challenging operations in military history on the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, a political analyst identified one of the reasons for the escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
