Israel suspends Merkava Tank Sales Amid Escalating Gaza War.

Israel halts the planned exportation of hundreds of Merkava battle tanks to foreign armies, including those in Europe, due to the ongoing war in Gaza and the need to enhance the readiness of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for potential conflict in Lebanon.
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Israel has halted the planned exportation of hundreds of Merkava battle tanks to foreign armies. (Picture source:  Israel MoD)

The tanks, which have been replaced over the past two decades by more advanced models, were in the final stages of negotiation for a historic sale. The decision to halt the export was made by Major General Eyal Zamir, Director-General of the Defense Ministry, following intense negotiations between SIBAT, the ministry’s International Defense Cooperation directorate, and procurement representatives from foreign armies.

This suspension coincides with the development and deployment of a new tank, the "Barak," based on the Merkava. This model is already in use by several IDF battalions.

Armored forces have played a key role in recent ground operations, responding to the war in Ukraine and more intensively since the onset of the conflict in Gaza. The IDF has rapidly responded by forming an armored battalion of reservists and reactivating previously disbanded units.

Additionally, the IDF has ramped up the production of new armored vehicles. In just one and a half months, about 85 new vehicles, including tanks, Eitan APCs, and Namers, have been produced. This marks a significant increase from the IDF's normal production rate of approximately 100 armored vehicles per year.

In an effort to enhance tank protection against drone attacks, the Defense Ministry has added extra metal skirts to these vehicles. This move comes after Hamas successfully targeted IDF tanks and APCs at the start of the conflict.

Furthermore, the Defense Ministry has urgently ordered dozens of D9 heavy bulldozers, crucial for military engineering tasks such as exposing tunnel shafts and opening roads threatened by explosive devices. Some of these bulldozers are being adapted for autonomous or semi-autonomous operations, allowing complex operations in high-risk areas without the need for a driver.

The total cost of these new initiatives has not been disclosed, but recent orders amount to approximately NIS 4 billion ($1.08 billion) to defense industry companies.

This decision to suspend exports and strengthen the IDF's armored capabilities signifies a major strategic shift for Israel, highlighting the growing importance of ground and armored forces in the current geopolitical landscape.