Hezbollah claims destruction of 21 Israeli tanks in southern Lebanon ambushes

The Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah has reported the results of multiple ambushes against Israel Defense Forces units in southern Lebanon, claiming that 21 Israeli Merkava main battle tanks were destroyed, Military Watch Magazine reports.

According to Hezbollah statements, the engagements also involved the launch of more than 60 rockets targeting locations in Israel’s Galilee region. These attacks coincided with longer-range strikes reportedly carried out by Iran, described as Hezbollah’s key strategic partner. In addition, Hezbollah artillery units said they targeted Israeli command positions in Taybeh, Rab Thalathin, and Oudaiseh, as well as reinforcements dispatched to evacuate casualties.

The group further claimed responsibility for strikes on high-value Israeli sites, stating that it targeted “the headquarters of the Israeli Ministry of War (Kyria) in the center of Tel Aviv, and the Dolphin barracks belonging to the Military Intelligence Division north of Tel Aviv, with a number of special missiles.”

Hezbollah indicated that the majority of Israeli armour losses occurred during a single engagement between Taybeh and Qantara. Israeli forces had reportedly “advanced to carry out a manoeuvre aiming to seize control of the area,” after which Hezbollah fighters “monitored them and prepared to lure the enemy into a well-planned ambush.” The group added that its forces “succeeded in thwarting the enemy’s manoeuvre, inflicting losses including 10 Merkava tanks and D9 bulldozers.”

If confirmed, the scale of these losses would mark the most severe setback for Israeli armoured units in more than four decades, since early phases of the 1982 Lebanon War, when Merkava and US-supplied tanks faced Syrian T-72s and advanced anti-tank weapons.

The reported escalation follows a broader regional conflict that began after Israel and the United States launched a large-scale military assault on Iran on February 28. Hezbollah opened a second front against Israel the following day, prompting an Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon on March 2. Since early March, circulating footage has shown multiple strikes on Israeli tanks by Hezbollah units.

While Israeli armour has previously suffered losses in confrontations with Hezbollah—most notably during the 2006 Lebanon War—analysts note that the intensity and scale of current hostilities appear unprecedented. The simultaneous conflict with Iran has significantly raised the stakes, potentially influencing Hezbollah’s decision to escalate its operations.

Recent reports also indicate that Hezbollah has deployed its elite Radwan special forces in counteroffensives. Previously not engaged directly against Israeli troops, these units gained experience during operations in Syria and are widely regarded by analysts as more capable than Hezbollah’s regular formations. Their presence on the frontlines may be contributing to the increased effectiveness of anti-armour operations observed since mid-March.

By comparison, Israeli tank losses during operations in the Gaza Strip since late 2023—against Palestinian paramilitary groups—were significantly lower, reflecting differences in equipment, fortifications, and training levels between the theatres.

By Vafa Guliyeva