(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Eight Israeli soldiers were killed when their Namer armored vehicle was struck by an anti-tank guided missile fired by Palestinian fighters in Rafah, resulting in the complete destruction of the armored personnel carrier which has been dubbed as one of the best protected troop carrier.
The incident occurred as the Israeli military was conducting operations in a region known as the Tel Sultan refugee camp in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed the incident, which led to the deaths of eight soldiers who were in their burnt-out Namer armored vehicle when it was targeted by the anti-tank missile launched by the Palestinian fighters.
The military also identified one of the deceased soldiers as Captain Wasem Mahmoud, a Druze of Arab descent from Beit Jan and a company commander in the Israeli Army’s 601st Engineering Battalion.
The names of the other seven Israeli soldiers killed in the Rafah incident have not been released by the military.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. (Saturday) as a convoy of five or six Israeli military vehicles was heading to a rest area after completing a mission nearby.
The Namer armored vehicle, carrying the eight Israeli soldiers, was hit by the missile launched by Palestinian fighters, leading to its immediate and total destruction.
An Israeli military observer noted that today’s incident in Rafah is the worst the Israeli military has experienced this year, following an earlier event where 21 soldiers were killed after the rigged with explosives building they were in collapsed following an RPG strike by Palestinian fighters.
The destroyed Namer armored vehicle was reported to be among the best and most heavily protected in the world.
Weighing 62 tons, the Namer matches the weight of the world’s main battle tanks.
Developed from the Israeli military’s experiences with its adversaries, the latest variant of this proud armored vehicle, known as the “Namer 1500,” utilizes the chassis of the Merkava Mk 4 main battle tank used by the Israeli armored corps.
The armor on the Namer is comparable to that of the Merkava tank, giving it a reputation as one of the best-protected armored vehicles globally.
Furthermore, the latest Namer variant is also equipped with the “Trophy” Active Protection System (APS), enabling it to counteract rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attacks and other anti-tank guided missiles.
As of 2021, approximately 270 Namer armored vehicles have been supplied to the Israeli military for its use. — DSA