Photo: depositfiles
The 7th Armoured Brigade of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the first armoured brigade in the history of the army, continues its combat journey, achieving significant success in the confrontation with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. According to the brigade’s commander, Colonel Elad Tsuri, the unit ensures the security of Israel’s northern regions and strengthens the country’s position in ceasefire negotiations, The Jerusalem Post writes.
Over the past year and two months, the brigade has taken part in numerous combat operations, including three phases of active combat on the Lebanese front over the past two months.
“Our home is the State of Israel, and it needs to be defended in the south and in the north,” said Tsuri.
Results of operations
Soldiers of the 7th Brigade are deployed in the Metula and Hula Valley areas, where they discovered large Hezbollah weapons caches over the course of the week.
“We find a significant amount of weapons. Almost every house we check is hiding weapons. Some caches are entire arsenals with missiles ready to be launched,” said the colonel.
According to him, the number of rocket attacks on Israel has decreased in recent days, which indicates the effectiveness of the operations.
Challenging conditions
The team works in extreme conditions, including winter weather. Heavy rains and low temperatures make it difficult to move vehicles, and tanks sometimes get stuck in the mud. However, defence systems such as Trophy successfully counter anti-tank missile attacks.
“We are facing a fortified enemy operating from houses and dungeons. Our forces are successfully fighting even in difficult close combat conditions,” the commander stressed.
Despite its status as a regular unit, the brigade relies heavily on reservists. “These are extraordinary people, and the state owes them a lot,” Tsuri said, adding that the brigade is constantly working to improve conditions for reservists.
Next steps
Colonel Elad Tsuri, who is completing one of the most intense terms as commander of the 7th Brigade, plans to take a year off to study before returning to active service.
The 7th Armoured Brigade remains a key element of Israel’s defence on the northern front, continuing its long-standing legacy as one of the IDF’s most elite units.
