Israel uses latest Eitan AFVs in war against Hamas

6 November, 2023 Eitan armored personnel carriers in the war with Hamas, November 2023. Photo credits: Israel Defense Forces The Israeli Defense Forces are using new Eitan armored fighting vehicles in combat operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Photos of these AFVs in combat conditions were published by the Israeli military. This is the first combat use of this Israeli armored fighting vehicle. The first mass-produced Eitan armored fighting vehicles entered service with the Israeli army this spring.

Israel is currently conducting a ground operation against the Palestinian militants of Hamas.

Eitan AFV in the war against Hamas, November 2023. Photo credits: Israel Defense Forces

Eitan armored fighting vehicles are used on the front lines of Israeli forces, along with tank units and infantry conducting assault operations in the urban areas of the Gaza Strip.

Eitan armored fighting vehicle of the Israeli military, November 2023. Photo credits: Israel Defense Forces

Eitan is an 8-wheeled armored fighting vehicle weighing up to 35 tons.

The vehicle has a maximum speed of 90 km/h and can carry twelve people, including three crew members. The armor of the vehicle is STANAG 4569 level 4. The AFV is equipped with the Iron Fist Light Decoupled active protection system.

The armored fighting vehicle can be armed with a large-caliber machine gun or automatic guns and ATGMs. The Israeli military received the first production of Eitan armored fighting vehicles in May 2023. Before that, the brigade soldiers who received these vehicles practiced various scenarios for using the new armored fighting vehicles.

Eitan armored fighting vehicle. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Israel

Last December, it became known that the Israeli Ministry of Defense had selected Oshkosh Defense as a partner for producing hulls for Eitan armored fighting vehicles. The deal was valued at more than £100 million.

The first serial Eitan armored fighting vehicles, May 2023 Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Israel

Adapting the IDF to new challenges

For the ground operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military has equipped most of its heavy armored vehicles with cope cages.

The Israeli Merkava Mk.4M equipped with a cope cage, October 16, 2023.

Photo credits: Gil Cohen-Magen

Such designs should further strengthen the protection of Israeli tanks, in particular, from drone attacks on the top of the vehicle, where their thinnest armor is located.