Few militaries have tested the limits of armored warfare in dense urban terrain as extensively as the Israel Defense Forces:
After?action reports from the IDF’s Ground Forces Command noted that armored units reduced infantry fatalities by more than 60% compared with operations where tanks were absent or delayed.
The tank’s ability to deliver precise 120 mm fire, thermal imaging, and heavy armor proved decisive in breaking fortified positions.
However, the 2006 Lebanon War exposed vulnerabilities.
Hezbollah’s use of advanced anti?tank missiles such as the Kornet?E inflicted significant damage, prompting the IDF to accelerate the development of the Trophy Active Protection System, which became operational in 2011.
Since its introduction, Trophy has intercepted more than 90% of incoming anti?tank threats in Gaza and Lebanon, according to Israeli defense manufacturer Rafael. This transformed the tank from a liability back into a survivable, mobile fire base.
In the 2014 Gaza War and the 2023–2024 operations in Gaza, tanks again proved essential.
IDF commanders reported that armored brigades enabled rapid breakthroughs in neighborhoods like Shuja’iyya and Jabalia while providing medical evacuation corridors and suppressive fire.