Israel's tank

Israel's army is very experienced in operations. The armored force has played a significant role for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) since the beginning of the history of the Jewish state. "The Israeli armored force" has significantly contributed to the defense of the Jewish state. 

The beginning is after World War II and still without a state and tanks. For this, Israel brings onto the battlefield what was left or could be procured in terms of vehicles after World War II. The book also recounts the background of the IDF. 

And there is little theory, but a lot of practice: the tank offensives during the Suez Crisis in 1956, in the Six-Day War in 1967, in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, during the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, up to the operations in the Gaza Strip in modern times are well explained in the book. 

It is very fascinating what the IDF has used in terms of tanks – and also how they were modified in the country. The Magach is a modified American M60 that has made its way into the tracks of the legendary Israeli Shermans. 

All active and historical battle tanks of the IDF are described. The Merkava is the latest model, which we also see in action in Lebanon in the Merkava IV version. On the right, a sort of symbolic image of the Israeli armored force – from the French light tank to its own product. 

The book has, when considering other books from the established Motorbuch publishing house, significantly fewer images, but more tank text and maps. And a unique theme, the Swiss authors provide a compact history of the Israeli armored forces, which is knowledgeable and exciting to read. General military history meets operational history, along with all the technology of IDF tanks. 

“Die israelische Panzerwaffe. Geschichte, Technik, Einsätze” (german language), by Marc Lenzin and Stefan Bühler, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2023, 224 pages, Euro 34.90 – directly from the publisher, on Amazon or at bookstores.