ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE
This page provides
some reference photos and background on the IDF's invasion of
Background:
Here is a brief summary of
After years of conflict between the PLO and the IDF along the
Lebanon boarder, "Operation Peace for Galilee" was launched on June
6, 1982. 1240 Israeli tanks, 1500 APCs, paratroopers and infantry invaded
southern Lebanon and succeeded in destroying and capturing various PLO
strongholds and refugee camps. As they pushed north, they eventually ran
into the Syrian Army in eastern Lebanon. Dog-fights and tank battles
broke out over the Bekka Valley pitting the latest in soviet and western
technologies against each other.
Infantry:
Israeli Infantry comes in two types, the Paratrooper and
the Foot Infantry. The Foot Infantry form the Golani Brigade, the only
Infantry Brigade in IDF while Paratroopers were organized into three Parachute
Brigades. In
Assault Rifles, SMGs and Sniper Rifles:
- Galil Assault Rifle
- Glilon SAR (short assault rifle)
- CAR-15 Assault Rifle
- 9mm UZI SMG
- M-16 Assault Rifle
- M-21 7.62mm Sniper Rifle
- AK-47 Assault Rifle
- AKM Assault Rifle
Light Machineguns:
- Negev
- FN MAG
Heavy Machineguns:
- M2 .50 cal
Grenade Launchers:
- M203 Grenade Launcher
- Rifle Grenades
Anti-Tank Weapons:
- RPG-7
- M72 LAW
- Dragon
Mortars:
- 60mm Light Mortar
- 81mm Mortar
Armor:
Israeli Armored Brigades
have formed the back bone of the IDF since 1967. In 1982, the IDF fielded
three types of Main Battle Tanks, the Merkava (Chariot), the M60 Magach, and
the Centurion SHO'T.
Israeli Merkava Tank move cautiously through
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Merkava 1 MBT |
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Armament: 1 x 105mm, 1 x 7.62mm MG (coaxial),
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Crew: 4 |
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Maximum Speed: 46 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 400 Km |
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Combat Weight: 61,000 kg |
Armor: Classified |
M60 Magach with reactive armor
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M60A1 Magach |
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Armament: 1 x 105mm, 2 x 7.62mm MG (coaxial),
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Crew: 4 |
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Maximum Speed: 48 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 52,617 kg |
Armor: 250mm (maximum), Blazer Reactive Armor |
An Israeli Centurion Sho't with Reactive armor
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Centurion Sho't |
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Armament: 1 x 105mm, 2 x 7.62mm MG (coaxial),
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Crew: 4 |
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Maximum Speed: 34 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 51,820 kg |
Armor: 152mm (maximum), Blazer Reactive Armor |
Each Armored Brigade had a Battalion of Mechanized Infantry who road in the battle tested M113 APC. The Israelis upgraded their M113s with additional armor in an attempt to better protect the vehicle from RPG fire. In addition to the M2 .50cal HMG, two more 7.62mm FN MAGs were mounted.
A M113 Zelda APC passes another less fortunate one.
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M113A2 Zelda APC |
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Armament: 1 x 12.7mm MG, 2 x 7.62mm MGs |
Crew: 2+11 |
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Maximum Speed: 60 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 11,253 kg |
Armor: 44mm (maximum) |
The IDF fielded M113s in various other rolls such as the M150 TOW, the M125 81mm Mortar Carrier and the M163 20mm Vulcan Air Defense System.
M150 with TOW ATGW
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M150 |
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Armament: TOW ATGW Launcher, 1 x 12.7mm MG |
Crew: 3 |
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Maximum Speed: 60 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 11,253 kg |
Armor: 44mm (maximum) |
Artillery:
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M109 SPG |
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Armament: 1 x 155mm Howitzer, 1 x 12.7mm MG |
Crew: 6 |
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Maximum Speed: 56 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 349 Km |
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Combat Weight: 24,948 kg |
Armor: 44mm (maximum) |
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M125 Self-propelled 81mm Mortar |
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Armament: M29 81mm Mortar, 1 x 12.7mm MG |
Crew: 6 |
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Maximum Speed: 64 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 12,809 kg |
Armor: 44mm (maximum) |
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M163 Vulcan Self-propelled Anti-aircraft gun |
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Armament: 1 x 6-barrel 20mm cannon |
Crew: 4 |
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Maximum Speed: 67 Km/h |
Maximum Range: 480 Km |
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Combat Weight: 12,310 kg |
Armor: 44mm (maximum) |
Close Air Support:
AH-1 Cobra armed with TOW ATGW and Chain Gun
500 MD Defender with TOW
Israeli Combat Formations:
Armored Brigade:
- Two Tank Battalions
- One Mechanized Infantry/Paratrooper Battalion
- One Battalion of Two Self-Propelled Mortar Batteries
- Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Company
- Recee Company
Mechanized Brigade:
- Three Mechanized Infantry/Paratrooper Battalions
- One Tank Battalion
- Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Company
Tank Battalion: 3 to 4 Tank Companies, 1
Support Company
Tank Company:
Company HQ: 2 MBTs*
3 Platoons: 3 MBTs*
Support Company: 4 Recee Jeeps or 4 M113 Zeldas
*MBTs are Merkava 1, M60 Magach or Sho't.
Mechanized Infantry Battalion: 3 Mechanized Infantry Companies, 1 Support Company
Mechanized Infantry / Paratrooper Company:
Company HQ: 2 M113s, Jeep, 6 Infantry
3 Rifle Platoons:
Platoon HQ: M113, 10 Infantry w/ 1 52mm Mortar and 1 Dragon ATGW
3 Rifle Sections: M113, 10 Infantry w/ 1 FN LMG, 1 RPG-7 each
Support Company: 6 M150 (TOW), 9
M125, M113 with FO, 3 M113 with 6 .50cal HMGs.
Orders of Battle
Corps Command - Maj-Gen. Avigdor Ben-Gal
91st Udga - Brig-Gen. Yitzhak Mordechai
- Attacked along the costal road towards Sidon
- 375th Mechanized Brigade
- 769th Mechanized Brigade
- 211th Armoured Brigade (1 Battalion with Merkavas, 2 with M60 Magach 5)
96th Udga - Brig-Gen. Amos Yaron
- Amphibious Landing north of Sidon.
- Attacked Damour then Beirut.
- 35th Paratrooper brigade
- 211th Armored brigade (joined on June 7th from 91st)
- 1 Armoured Brigade from the 844th equipped with M60 Magach 5s
36th Udga - Brig-Gen. Avigdor Kahalani
- Attacked from Metulla to Nabatiyeh.
- Joined 91st at Sidon
- 188th Barak Armored brigade (53rd, 71st, 74th Battalions with Centurion Sho’t)
- 1st Golani Mechanized brigade with 77th Tank Battalion equipped with Merkavas
- 769th Mechanized brigade
162nd Udga - Brig-Gen. Menachem Einan
- Attacked through Ein Zehalta
- Reached the Beirut-Demascus Highway at Ein Dara
- 500th Armoured Brigade (195th, 430th, 433rd Battalions with M60 Magach 5)
- 514th Armoured Brigade with 2 battalions of Centurion Sho’t
- 903rd Mechanized Battalion
- 1 Unknown Mechanized Battalion
252th Udga - Brig-Gen. Immanuel Sakel
- Attacked from Metulla into Fatahland
- Moved through Kafr Qouq, Yanta and Wadi Shebaa to Rashaiya
- 7th Armored Brigade (75th, 82nd Battalions with Merkavas)
- 401st Armoured Brigade (46th, 52nd Battalions with M60 Magach 5)
- 473rd Mechanized Brigade
- 424th and 269th Mechanized Battalions
90th Udga - Brig-Gen. Giora Lev
- Attacked from Metulla
- Moved through Marj Ayoun towards Karoun and Jubb Jennin
- 734th Armoured Brigade (360th, 362nd, 363rd battalions equipped with M48 Magach 3)
- 943rd Armoured Brigade (346th, 572nd, 573rd battalions equipped with M48 Magach 3)
- 14th Armoured Brigade (79th, 184nd battalions equipped with M60 Magach 3)
- 525th Mechanized Brigade
880th Udga - Brig-Gen. Yom-Tov Tamir
- Reserve for the Bekka Sector
- 645th Armoured Brigade (134th, 142nd, ???th battalions equipped with M60 Magach 5)
- 767th Armoured Brigade (708th, 711th, 719th battalions equipped with M60 Magach 5)
- 656th Armoured Brigade (452nd, 453rd, ???th battalions equipped with M60 Magach 3)
- 1 Mechanized Brigade
Task Force Vardi - Brig.Gen. Danni Vardi
- Attacked north to take Jezzine
- Advanced along the west of Lake Qaraoun
- 460th Armoured Brigade from the 252nd (198th battalion equipped with Merkavas, 532nd battalion with M60 Magach 5s, 196th battalion with Sho’t)
- 514th Armoured Brigade equipped with 2 battalions of Centurion Sho’t
Task Force Peled - Brig. Gen. Yossi Peled
- Advanced along the Jebel Liban Ridge
- Hunted Down Syrian Tanks
- 409th Anti-Tank Brigade
- 551st Anti-Tank Brigade
Note: Udga = Division