The bus after being hit by an anti-tank missile
Photo: AP
Senior IDF officers rebuked after Hamas anti-tank strike
Brigade, battalion and company commanders in the Gaza Division to be disciplined after terror group was able to fire an anti-tank missile that left one soldier critically wounded.
Two senior IDF commanders are being disciplined over an incident that left an IDF soldier critically wounded in anti-tank missile strike along the Gaza border.
The regional brigade commander, the regional battalion commander and two company commanders will receive written rebukes in their personnel files after an internal military investigation found faults in their decision-making process, in the forces' isolation of the area of operations and in operational discipline, the IDF said on Monday.
On November 12, amid an escalation of violence on the Gaza border, roadblocks were set up in some areas along the Gaza border as part of the IDF's operational deployment.
Hamas fires anti-tank missile at IDF bus
Following situation assessments, a bus transporting IDF soldiers arrived at the Black Arrow Memorial site in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, some 900 meters from the Gaza border.
After the soldiers disembarked from the bus, Hamas fired an anti-tank missile at it, completely destroying the vehicle. A 19-year-old soldier who was nearby was hit by shrapnel and critically wounded.
The bus after being hit by an anti-tank missile (Photo: AP)
"The lessons from the incident have been implemented," the IDF said in a statement. "Following the investigation, the Gaza Division has updated its area isolation plan during emergency times. The plan will be fully drilled in the coming weeks."
The bus after being hit by an anti-tank missile (Photo: AFP)
The investigation criticized the fact the bus was exposed to direct fire from the Gazan side.
The commanders in the area failed to implement lessons from a similar incident that took place in January 2015 on the northern border when reinforcements were sent to the Galilee sector amid concerns of Hezbollah retaliation for the assassination of Jihad Mughniyeh, which was attributed to Israel.
The large reinforcement forces patrolled exposed areas near the border, making themselves easy targets for the Lebanese terror group, until a barrage of eight anti-tank missiles hit a Givati convoy, killing an officer and a soldier from the force.
