Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

This was WWIII, I wonder what WWIV is gona be like :slight_smile:

Told you the number of Merkava killed were twice as high reported by jewish state.. Hezb should now concentrate on AA missiles and then on long range missiles to take out top thugs in Til Aviv..

Merkava ‘hunters’ relax, looking into nearby Israel
By Weedah Hamzah Aug 16, 2006, 19:29 GMT

Aitroun, Lebanon - Two Hezbollah fighters relax under a tree in this southern Lebanese village that overlooks several Israeli settlements across the border.

It’s the third day of an uneasy ceasefire between Israel, Lebanon and the Hezbollah militia that occupies southern Lebanon, and the militia see the ceasefire as a Hezbollah victory.

They call themselves Merkava ‘hunters,’ for the role played by their squad in monitoring Israeli Merkava tanks rolling into Lebanese territories, and then firing on them during the 33-day Israeli offensive on Lebanon.

Dressed in clean army fatigues, the young fighters in their late teens spoke with relish of sleepless nights and military activities during the onslaught.

‘We hunted these tanks like birds,’ one fighter told Deutsche Presse Agentur dpa in the village of Aitroun.

‘We could have hit more if the war continued,’ the 18-year-old, who did not want to reveal his name, said with some regret.

The two Merkava hunters wore trendy sunglasses and were still clad in their military helmets and carrying their rifles. They refused to say what kind of rockets they fired at Israeli tanks.

As one of them looked through his binoculars towards Israel, he spoke to foreign journalists in fluent English, carefully choosing his words when answering questions.

He emphasized the ‘victory’ they achieved in confronting what is believed to be the largest and best-equipped army in the Middle East, echoing the words of Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, who on Monday declared the ceasefire a ‘strategic victory.’

‘It was like we were playing a war game on the Play Station,’ the other fighter said with a shy smile.

According to Hezbollah, around 60 tanks were destroyed during the offensive unleashed by Tel Aviv after Hezbollah snatched two Israeli soldiers from southern Lebanon on July 12.

The more talkative of the two recounted the ‘harsh days’ of relentless bombings by Israel’s US-made F-16 war jets ‘over our heads,’ and the systematic cannon fire that fell around them as they held their positions.

‘Look at my helmet,’ he said, pointing to a shrapnel hole. ‘If I did not have my helmet, I would have been a martyr by now.’

Hezbollah fighters take pride in martyrdom, in the belief that dying while defending their homeland from Israeli aggression promises eternal paradise.

‘It is this strong belief in defending the homeland and love for martyrdom that makes the Shiite Hezbollah fighters fearless when confronting an invading army equipped with far more superior weapons,’ one Hezbollah fighter said.

During the fighting, more than 1,000 Lebanese, most of them civilians, and 120 Israelis died, and much of Lebanon’s infrastructure, including roads, bridges and buildings was destroyed.

The United Nations ceasefire calls for 15,000 UN peacekeeping troops to assist 15,000 Lebanese armed forces in reclaiming sovereignty over southern Lebanon, now occupied by the disciplined Hezbollah guerrillas.

Previous United Nations resolutions, such as one in 2004, called for Beirut to disarm the militia and regain sovereignty over its southern portion after the Syrian army withdrew.

Nasrallah on Monday said his group would not be forced to disarm by ‘intimidation or pressure.’

© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Re: Merkava ‘hunters’ relax, looking into nearby Israel

I call it little spanking by Hezbullah :slight_smile:

And just the begining..

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=commentary&alt=&trh=20060816&hn=35602

Hezbollah’s Anti-Merkava Missiles
by
Prof. Ali Al-Hail

The turning point in the war between Hezbollah and Israel since July 12th has certainly, been Hezbollah’s anti tank missiles. The supposedly, fourth generation of Israeli most advanced tank ‘Merkava’, has since Israel began its ground offensive on July 19th, been significantly, deactivated.

By using Russian-made Metis-M and European-made Milan anti-tank missiles by Hezbollah, according to reports more than 100 Merkava tanks had been destroyed, including killing or injuring their crews. The AP (AP, Saturday August 5), was reported to have circulated that, during two days only, Thursday August 3rd and Wednesday August 2nd , Hezbollah fighters had fired anti-tank missiles at three Merkava tanks. They were immediately pierced and 7 soldiers of its squads had been, killed.

According to the Israeli Army, quoted by the AP (August 5th) The Israeli-made Merkava tanks — mountains of steel that, are vaunted as symbols of Israel’s military might. Despite this reputation, Hezbollah’s anti-tank missiles, according to reliable sources destroy routinely, an average of two Merkava tanks, on a daily basis.

This advanced progress by Hezbollah’s fighters, has succeeded, on one hand in restricting Israel within a maximum of 5 miles horizontally, inside the Lebanese borders. While on the other, had hindered Israel to reach south of the Litani River (18 miles from Israeli Lebanese borders). Israel has since July 19th been marketing to its people that, its army has controlled Bint Jbail, a two mile village from the borders.

Today, August 10th, it’s still talking about fierce and ferocious fighting with Hezbollah’s fighters, at Dibil village on the suburb of Bint Jbail. This resistance has made possible because of Hezbollah’s well made use of its anti-tank missiles.

Speculations and rumors began to spread about that, Hezbollah has over the past two years, been modifying the Metis-M and Milan anti-tank missiles. Though, these theories and anecdotes aren’t groundless, knowing Hezbollah’s aspirations to improving its military skills, they have not been officially, confirmed by Hezbollah.

Field reports from the AP and Jane’s Defense Weekly suggest that, most of the estimated 120 Israeli soldiers, including the elite troops from the Golani brigade were killed in their Merkava tanks by Hezbollah’s sophisticated missiles. Hezbollah’s tactics in utilizing the Metis and Milan anti-tank missiles has answered the query as to why Israel had to delay its ground offensive.

As the first week of fierce daily and round the clock bombardment, proved to the Israeli government, how miscalculated they were, Israel had launched its ground offensive on July 19th.

Israel’s “disastrous errors” are domino effect of Israel’s information and intelligence total failure on the ground inside Lebanon, during its daily ferocious aerial bombing campaign, over the past 28 days, as Gardner angrily exclaimed, in an interview with the BBC TV on August 5th. Israel’s lack of accurate information and intelligence in its war with Hezbollah has caused huge losses on almost possibly, every front.

Israel has lost the propaganda war, in favor to Hezbollah. Simply, because it is in a fatal crisis from ethical point of view, before the international public opinion. The holocausts, massacres and crimes against humanity that Israel committed in Lebanon had shocked the entire world.

The question that arises here, has Israel achieved anything on the ground? Since its ground fighting with Hezbollah on July 19th, its horizontal incursions have been totally, catastrophic. Hezbollah’s Russian Miets and European Milan anti-tank missiles keep piercing Israel’s Mercavas.

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

A great victory indeed and a great demonstration of fire power that anti-tank weapons can do.

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

According to Hezbollah, around 60 tanks were destroyed during the offensive unleashed by Tel Aviv after Hezbollah snatched two Israeli soldiers from southern Lebanon on July 12.

Israel's defeat in Lebanon was much bigger than expected.

Re: Merkava ‘hunters’ relax, looking into nearby Israel

Straight from the horses mouth
 :slight_smile:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5282548.stm

Israel army chief admits failures

Israeli military chief of staff Lt Gen Dan Halutz has publicly admitted to failings in the conflict with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

Lesson for Pakistan instead of buying an expensive submarine...its can be more advantageous to better equip infantry.

Re: Merkava ‘hunters’ relax, looking into nearby Israel

From your BBC news piece.

**State commissions were ordered after the 1973 Yom Kippur War and the 1982 invasion of Lebanon - both conflicts in which the Israeli military was widely perceived to have underperformed. **

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

Destruction of Beirut should also be a lesson for Pakistan.

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

I doubt it if the infantry has the ability to take out an enemy submarine.

Re: Merkava ‘hunters’ relax, looking into nearby Israel

:rotfl:

Re: Merkava 'hunters' relax, looking into nearby Israel

We israelis would have shown these hezballahs what are we made of if war were to be continued. In anytime if there is more rockets hitting on our side, we the jewish state have the right to defend ourselves and go as long as INTO lebanon if that happened again. But again i don't support the idea of 'invasion'. Instead, we were suceeded diplomatically when UN and lebanese forces took control of south lebanon on call and concern of Israel. I hope we see peace in this region where thousands and thousands of ppl suffered on both sides.
regards,
Nicole david.