by Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades in the Gaza Strip, targeting Israel Defense Forces armored vehicles and troops. Several IED attacks involving the use of both types of IEDs were carried out against IDF targets.
Some of these attacks employed a new tactic: climbing onto the vehicle and dropping the IED through an open turret. Smaller and lighter than the Shawaz, the Barq IED is easier to drop into tanks or APCs, increasing its effectiveness against the occupants.
When combined with the open-turret attack tactic, both the Shawaz and Barq IEDs have proven highly effective in Gaza’s guerrilla warfare. Given the success of this method and its amplification in Hamas propaganda, it is likely that Hamas – and potentially other groups – will continue employing these IEDs in this manner against IDF armored vehicles in the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip.
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