Footage published on July 3 has confirmed a successful operation by Palestinian paramilitaries in the Gaza Strip to destroy an Israeli Army Merkava main battle tank. Two Palestinian personnel were shown approaching the tank from its left side, planting explosives under its turret, then retreating in the opposite direction shortly after which a detonation disabled the vehicle. The militiamen were reported to have been members of the Al Qassam Brigades that operate under Hamas, the Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces launched an invasion of Gaza in October 2023, although the effective use of underground tunnels by local militias has allowed them to cause significant Israeli losses in spite of the very limited armaments they have available.
Footage of successful attacks on Israeli armour have been published multiple times since the invasion began, and have often similarly involved attaching explosives such as magnetic mines to Israeli armour, often using these in conjunction with rocket propelled grenades. Israeli armour took its heaviest losses in the initial days of hostilities in early October, during which well over 100 vehicles were captured and destroyed including several Merkava III and Merkava IV tanks. The United States has continued to provide significant support to Israeli efforts to wipe out Palestinian militias in Gaza, including with advisors, arms provisions, drone operations, and deployment of U.S. Army anti drone warfare assets among other means.