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Israeli forces have carried out the first operational use of the "Bar" rocket, developed by Elbit Systems, against Hamas terror targets in the Gaza Strip, the military said Monday.
According to the IDF, the system features a navigation mechanism adapted to challenging combat environments and is capable of striking targets "within a very short time."
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Footage of the "Bar" rocket system
(Video: IDF)
The forces using the rocket are artillery troops from the 282nd Artillery Brigade, operating under the 36th Division. They have been active in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, following intensive activity in various arenas.
So far, the troops have fired more than 5,000 shells at terror targets along the "Morag" Corridor, which divides the southern Gaza Strip between Rafah and Khan Younis, providing close support to maneuvering ground forces.
During their operations, the troops destroyed weapon storage facilities and launch compounds belonging to terror organizations in Gaza, and terrorists were eliminated under the direction of the brigade's Fire Control Center.
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Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has also been using old armored personnel carriers (APCs) packed with tons of explosives to preemptively trigger and neutralize explosive devices in combat zones before troops enter. These APCs, developed within the military, are remotely detonated and can generate an explosive effect equivalent to that of four to five large "JDAM" bombs. During the war, the IDF upgraded the development and also used it against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.