Merkava is indeed mighty
Since it was first produced in 1979, Israel's Merkava tank has gained a formidable reputation as one of the world's best-protected fighting machines.
Yet, in the summer of 2006, Hezbollah guerrillas in Southern Lebanon shattered this image.
In just over a month 49 of Israel's home-produced Merkava tanks the symbol of the Jewish state's military prowess were reported damaged or destroyed.
It was not only the tank that was damaged, but the myth of Israeli military invincibility so central to the psychological warfare of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Merkava represents Israel's technological superiority in conventional warfare, but in the new era of guerrilla war, is the Merkava an asset or a liability?
Merkava tank proved ineffective against guerrilla fighters wielding anti-tank guided missiles. Questions are being raised in Israel over the project's future, which has cost an estimated $6.5bn since its inception.
God's Chariot - General - Al Jazeera English
